Or is sport more important than music?

[Azquilith]

Having an argument with DP about our DS learning music in the future. DP was in an orchestra at school - do kids really play in orchestras any more? Surely it's a bit 1950s and playing sport is more important for development and making friends?

[YokoUhOh]

Secondary school music teacher here wobbles on high horse

I hear the sentence, 'we're a sporty family' a lot at parents' evenings. I always think, 'yes, so step out of your comfort zone and encourage your child, who enjoys music, to be musical'. I'm from a sporty family but my (gymnastics coach, zero musical background) mum recognised that I was musical and gave me every opportunity to develop my talent. I ended up studying Music at Oxford, and playing concertos with my county youth orchestra.

OP, my DS is a similar age to yours and I would never give him the option of 'either' sport or music - I'm really hoping he'll enjoy both.

[treaclesoda]

I'm musical, but I find it very easy to understand why music isn't for everyone, and I think it's fine that loads of people have no desire to learn an instrument.

But discussions like this always take me back to school days where not enjoying sport was considered 'wrong', 'lazy' and frankly morally dubious. And that if you had any self discipline you would just make yourself enjoy sport and be good at sport. Why are so many (not all, of course) sporty people so unforgiving of non sporty people?

[MamaMary]

The emphasis on sport at school seems to be a British thing. I remember reading Enid Blyton's boarding school books and thinking, Oh, I would have hated to go to those schools - it's all about bloody sport! No mention of music or drama. And if you weren't sporty it would have been hell.

[Azquilith]

I was very sporty, never saw music as something I wanted to do. It always felt a bit them and us.

[MamaMary]

Yes, and you're continuing with that theme of 'them and us'.

Your thread title is simply bizarre. Sport more important than music??!

[Azquilith]

Yes but surely something that keeps you fit and healthy and can be done for free is more important! That was just my point but definitely being corrected

[dramajustfollowsme]

Oh dear lord. He is 2! My dd is 3 and she currently wants to be a mermaid. You have no idea what he will want to do in the future. It is best to let kids have a say. They are more likely to stick at a hobby if they genuinely like it not being pushed into it.
Both sports and music have benefits in terms of learning team work and discipline.
I loved p.e but wasn't particularly good at any of it.
I also enjoyed music and was quite good at it. Was in the national youth choir, travelled to many interesting places and made life-long friendships.
I've continued to sing and have friends in choirs from age 8-80. It really is ageless. Some are more musical than others but the enjoyment for all is the same. I find that music can calm my soul.

[phantomnamechanger]

OP, certainly in my experience music is used from the word go in primary schools - as they file into assembly there is a different classical piece being played every week. some teachers play music while the kids are working, to keep a calm atmosphere. they make up their own dance sequences (yes right from being little) for their end of term shows. They write their own songs to help them learn facts (I know some great ear worm times tables songs!)They have huge boxes of percussion instruments and make up music to go with their topic on, for example, seaside or weather etc, they learn about the types/families of instruments. The Y1s I read with have been listening to Peter and the wolf this term and learning to recognise the different instrument sounds. All this is in a normal state primary school.

[KatyMac]

"done for free" - oh dear

Most sport, done competitively or enthusiastically rather than for fun needs shed loads of kit & training........which cost a fortune, never mind the club fees

[PhaedraIsMyName]

Lord no. Music is far more important.

[DiaDuit]

Done for free?

What sport are you talking about? Running? You need trainers for running. Football? You need a football. Cycling? Need a bike.

[treaclesoda]

barefoot running maybe?

[Azquilith]

Kids at my local primary play football between the blocks of flats outside every evening. Loads of them. Just had another look at their website and they offer 50 mins of clarinet and 50 mins of flute a week. Presume lessons? Nothing about cost or instruments. Surely it must cost?

[MollyBdenum]

Both are great. Pepper who do music can be in orchestras and choirs, they can form bands, they can busk to earn money.

I don't know any adults who play football or hockey or netball for fun. Lots do running or swimming or martial arts. Plenty also do musical stuff - they play in orchestras or just at home for fun, they sing in choirs, they play in bands...

I know two people who earn a living through sport. I know far more who have jobs in music.

[PhaedraIsMyName]

'sport is much more fun'

Only if you enjoy it.

I hated it at school and find most sports completely boring and utterly pointless. I make an exception for the World Cup and some, but by no means all, bits of the Olympics.

Music is as vital to my well-being as books.

[UptheChimney]

music is a waste of time in my opinion unless you carry it on and practice constantly. Most DCs give up in their teens (after years of hating it), where as sport tends to stick a lot more and is much more fun. Promotes health and fitness and is much better for children IMO

My experience was exactly opposite: I was raised partly in the US, where being good at sports is seen as important to create good citizens.

Pah!

Team work? downright nature red in tooth and claw, more like. My injuries were inflicted by so-called team mates. Far more co-operation & working together to achieve something bigger than the sum of our separate parts in our school orchestra.

[Ludways]

We're a massively sporty family, we do lots of sports between us and have some high achievements. Also also love music and ds plays guitar, dd wants to play drums which I'm looking into for her.

[phantomnamechanger]

Nothing about cost or instruments. Surely it must cost?

have you not read any of the posts from myself and others about the many & various schemes for FREE music tuition in state primary schools?

at 50 minutes, that is certainly not individually paid for lessons they are talking about (which is usually either 20 or 30 minutes). You could only fit about 30 lessons into a school week if they were individual sessions of 50 mins! I would imagine they have a whole year group learning together for 50 minutes a week.

they probably also have visiting music teachers for any instrument your child wishes to learn. they come into schools but the parents pay for the lesson (and sometimes instrument hire)

[phantomnamechanger]

in our primary school we have visiting brass, piano, wind and string teachers. lessons paid for by parents. the class teacher with responsibility for music runs a choir and a recorder group.

[stillenacht1]

A music teacher here.

We have 80 in our school orchestra.

Both are important but I hated the competitive element of sport (It's just a game?!) although enjoyed the competitive element of music.

[Pilgit]

It used to really bug me at school that there was zero recognition for musicians whilst the sports loons were feted at every turn! But who was it they trotted out to impress dignitaries? It certainly wasn't the athletes.... so when it made the school look good we were there but NEVER got recognition or thanks for it. Playing in these kind of groups enables a person to make something beautiful with others - the whole really is greater than the parts. There is team spirit, camaraderie and life long friendships to be had. Not to mention a skill that has the ability to make people smile. Not that sport doesn't have those things - it does but yabu to say sport is more important.

[stillenacht1]

Pilgit I could have written that based on our end of year assembly yesterday... Hundreds of certificates for kids who hit a rounders ball once in a extra curricular match.. Our musicians? Well the school was dismissed from the hall while they were playing (last minute decision)

[Hiphopopotamus]

Oh good god. This is so depressing

Sport is great. I love sport. But music...music speaks to your soul. It's a way of expressing feelings and idea without using words. It's incredibly academic to learn properly (reading music, music theory etc) but also provides fantastic social opportunities. No, it's not for everyone. But to dismiss it as 1950's...

(I realise I'm just repeating everything that has already been said. But seriously!)

[LalaLeona]

Actually I have noticed a massive shift and emphasis towards sport in the last 20 years and it really irritates me. Sport is great yes, and some kids thrive on it, but it's not the be all and end all, and I do feel that more creative pastimes are being pushed to one side. IMHO It's all part of the boring middle class competitive corporate culture that prevails. Little Oscar must be good at rugger or how is he going to compete in business later in life..blah blah blah. Nice for some kids to be that way but there is pressure on all kids to be sporty so much more now. Give me a creative, interesting kid that appreciates art and music any day.

[nickelbabe]

singing is free.
completely and utterly free.

in fact, if you join a church choir as a junior chorister, you even get paid for learning!
you don't have to buy music or robes or anything, just turn up and sing.

wgen I was in jounior school, I did gymnastics and revorder, guitar andchoir.
I haven't done gymnastics for years, but I bellydance now
i sing, play recorder.
I have learned violin, piano along the way too. I don't do them anymore, but I could if I could be bothered.
but I do sing.
and love it.
and because I learned to read music, I can pretty much sing anything, and I could probably pick up an instrument moreeasily because I read music.

dd is 2.5
she has an organist for a father and loves classical, choir and organ music.
she's also really active, as 2yos are.

oh, we're ridiculously working class and rather poor. dd will get every opportunity to learn music and most of it will be free at point of use.

music is the soul of life. it makes life worth living