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Secondary education

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Original poster

Should I let my child listen to music whilst doing revision?

102 replies

skz5 · 14/10/2021 17:28

My girl is 15. Her mocks are coming up in November so she's currently trying her hardest to revise. I found her listening to music whilst revising so I took it off her so she could concentrate. About 15 minutes later she came into the living room looking really deflated and she explained how listening to music makes her want to do her revision and it makes it enjoyable. I took it off her because I wanted her to focus but she's telling me that she can't and she feels really unmotivated to carry on studying. What should I do? Should I let her listen to music which makes her actually want to do revision or was I right by taking it away from her to help her focus but makes revision a chore and makes her hate it?

OP posts:
crankysaurus · 15/10/2021 08:28

I'm mid 40s and listen to music on headphones at work when I need to concentrate. It's well known to help and if it makes revision less miserable, why wouldn't you let her have it?

Parker231 · 15/10/2021 08:36

@negomi90 - I did my revision in front of the tv watching Neighbours with my books propped up on my knees! It seemed to have worked as passed with A’s and kept up with the storylines on tv! Learnt early on to multitask!

CommanderBurnham · 15/10/2021 08:58

Absolutely let her listen to music exams BUT when she is sitting practice tests at home, ditch the music. It won't be there in the exam.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 15/10/2021 09:01

Using 2 senses together enhances learning. This is why people doodle when I’m meetings. They are listening and drawing.

She should actually be listening to music to help her revise.

Teacher for 26 years.

Wombat49 · 15/10/2021 09:04

Yep, I'm not a music person but it helped me concentrate. Poor kid, let her be. You wouldnt like someone micromanaging your work.

DPotter · 15/10/2021 09:17

What a weird thing for you to do.

She may even have had background music recommended by her school.

Give back her music right now.

Showing my age big time here - revised my O levels to Rumours by Fleetmac and A levels to Supertramp's Breakfast in America and Kate Bush's Lionheart. Love these 3 albums so much, even to this day. It may have driven my family and the neighbours up the wall I admit.

For me the music masked the other household noises, letting me focus on the work.

Interestingly I now listen to speech radio when working - music is just plain the wrong rhythm

SouthLondonMommy · 15/10/2021 09:27

Yes, I always listened to music when studying including at university. Its totally normal and very common thing for people to do and I went to Oxbridge

EllieNBeeb · 15/10/2021 10:14

Woooooow, take a step back. Your poor child.

Chilldonaldchill · 15/10/2021 11:13

My dd and I are musicians and neither of us can revise to music. I preferred revising with radio (but talking) in the background; she prefers silence. My ds and DH definitely find music easier.

hedgehogger1 · 15/10/2021 12:21

I think there was a study that showed that music without lyrics was best. This was a fair time ago now. Might have changed since then

Muststopeating · 15/10/2021 12:26

Always had to plug myself into my earphones to revise when I was at uni. Only way I could concentrate. I have a first class honours in Economics.

To this day you'll know when I'm doing my best spreadsheeting/concentrating because I'll have my glasses on and earphones in.

Dillyjones72 · 15/10/2021 18:52

I lose focus in silence, often have the radio or music on while I study, write or work. I’ve always been like that, even as a kid and I was/am a straight A student.
Leave her to do it her way - and stop trying to control her. It won’t work. Even if she seems to be complaint she won’t be, she find a way to do thing her own way. And you’re putting too much pressure and stress in the child, by trying to co trip how she revises. Ultimately it is up to her if, how, when she studies and how she does in the exams.

Echobelly · 15/10/2021 18:54

Of course she should listen to music if it helps her and makes it less of a chore! I always concentrate a lot better with music - you might not, but doesn't mean DD doesn't.

catgotmatung · 15/10/2021 20:28

Yes to the music, if it helps.

My son is often on a video call to his girlfriend when he is meant to be doing homework or revising, with the phone in a stand on his desk, next to his laptop. I used to get cross about it - it look a while for me to realise (because he didn't explain at first) that they were both revising together, though not always the same subjects, and found it helpful to be able to support each other in that way..They chat, but are also both working. They both did well in their GCSEs. Fingers crossed the strategy will work for their A levels too.

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/10/2021 20:29

Of course you should. Taking it away was completely unreasonable.

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/10/2021 20:35

dootball
OP I think you are right. I thought all the evidence in favour of revising with music was discredited? The only was it can help is if you are listening to it on some level, in which case you cannot be using your full facilities for actually revising?
However it may help with motivation.“

What rubbish. My husband’s job involves monitoring multiple screens full of close lines of figures that change constantly. He always has background music because it helps his focus and has done for nearly 40 years. He is extremely good at his job, it clearly works.

audweb · 15/10/2021 20:38

I’ve always listened to music when studying, and I still listen to music now. Helps me focus and I always work better with it. Why would you micro manage your daughters studying habits like that though? So strange

Happyface120 · 15/10/2021 20:39

Your poor girl Sad

GreenLakes · 15/10/2021 23:29

I think all the ‘poor dd’ posts are over the top.

The fact is that very few 15 year olds have the maturity to think long term and put sufficient hard work and effort into their studies and revision.

It is the therefore role of parents to provide support and guidance. If a parent feels that music is hindering rather than helping revision, they are absolutely right to put a stop to it.

SoftSheen · 15/10/2021 23:30

Music helps me concentrate. As long as she's actually working, let her carry on.

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/10/2021 23:31

GreenLakes

I think all the ‘poor dd’ posts are over the top.

The fact is that very few 15 year olds have the maturity to think long term and put sufficient hard work and effort into their studies and revision.

It is the therefore role of parents to provide support and guidance. If a parent feels that music is hindering rather than helping revision, they are absolutely right to put a stop to iT.”

Rubbish

DriftingBlue · 15/10/2021 23:33

I have an extremely mentally intensive job. I frequently listen to music when I need to focus. I just have to pick the right music for the equation I am working on at the moment, if I picked incorrectly it’s quickly obvious and I make another selection.

Mangofandangoo · 15/10/2021 23:35

I can't concentrate at work without music. I don't even really listen but it helps me process information

AndStand · 15/10/2021 23:49

Do you not realise that YouTube has masses of "music to revise to" that are literally hours long?

I never revised in silence. That doesn't work for everyone because, you know, we're all different.

Skinnymuffins · 16/10/2021 00:34

Even now as an adult working from home I hate working without background noise whether that be a film I've seen before or music.

When I was in uni I hated the library for being so quiet - the silence was distracting.

People focus on different ways and if she enjoys revision with music like a lot of people do - why not?

Most offices I've worked in have office radios - what's the difference?

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