The Importance of Making a Place for Music in Your Home
Benefits to the Soul–Making Memories
A sack filled with potted-meat sandwiches sat in the front seat of our car between Daddy and Mama. The backseat crowd included my two sisters, our dog, Huckleberry Hound, and me. Most five-year-old kids would probably dread this weekly five-hour road trip, but I looked forward to this journey with anticipation.
I admit that the paper bag meal was a treat I loved, but the activity following this questionable cuisine filled my little girl heart with musical joy. Tucked inside Mama’s purse was her harmonica, and when she began to play, miles and miles of family harmony sounded in our car. I loved it.
Fortunately, in my generation, creating musical memories in the home was more easily accomplished and supported by our culture than it is today. Most homes (and classrooms) had access to some type of musical instrument whether it was a piano, accordion, guitar, or harmonica. Even the television entertainment industry promoted families making music together. A weekly TV viewing delight included a popular show, Sing Along with Mitch. Our entire family sang along as we followed the bouncing ball floating above the superimposed song lyrics on the television screen. Musical variety shows on television comprised a majority of viewing options.
Another cherished musical memory might shed some light on my lack of aptitude in the kitchen. While my mama and sisters made dinner preparations, it was my task to keep Daddy occupied with our hymn-singings at the piano. We certainly weren’t what I would call highly skilled musicians. I play the piano only well enough to be annoying and Daddy’s singing skills fell into the “at least he makes a joyful noise” category. Yet, even with our limited abilities, those hours at the piano created a precious bond between us. As I turned the page of the hymnbook, he would often say, “That’s a good ‘un. Let’s sing that.”
Our first Christmas together after Daddy passed away, we began a musical tradition in his memory. Ironically, our Family Christmas Show would have been enjoyed by him more than anyone else in the family, but it dimmed the sadness of his absence.
Benefits to the Mind—Making Mental Progress
In an article written for the website: https://www.pbs.org, author Laura Lewis Brown credits Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation, with the following statement. “A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening, and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning.” Within the same article, Dr. Kyle Pruett, clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and a practicing musician adds this observation. “Language competence is at the root of social competence. Musical experience strengthens the capacity to be verbally competent.”
There is an abundance of information to be found pairing musical experience and exposure to cognitive benefits. The question for families in our hyperactive and high-tech culture is, “how do we incorporate music experiences into our family life?” The answer can come from the same screens of technology that often monopolize a family’s attention. Here are a few of my suggestions:
- Utilize music apps to play background music during nighttime reading, meals, and family games.
- Substitute playing movies in the car with singing together. (If you’re a terrible singer, that’s okay. Just have fun!)
- Learn to play an instrument together. (I would like to recommend a resource I used successfully for over a decade in my music classroom as well as with our grandchildren. It’s called Recorder Karate and it’s an easy and fun way to learn how to read notes and play a simple instrument for a fairly low cost. Information about this program as well as recorders for purchase can be found on this website: www.musick8.com
Benefits to the Spirit—Making Melody in Your Hearts to God
“You need to sing together. Singing should be a part of your relationship and your home life.” I had never heard these words of admonishment from a wedding officiant before, but now sitting in the honored second pew as a mother-of-the-bride, the pastor was offering this counsel to my daughter and future son-in-law.
His words of biblical truth came from Ephesians 5:18b which says, “…but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
May I add my own words of encouragement for you to include “making melody to the Lord with your heart” into a family tradition? It may seem awkward at first, but I would like to point out that we incorporate a variety of musical traditions in our lives because they’ve become habitual and accepted: singing Happy Birthday at parties, The Star-Spangled Banner at sporting events, and alma maters at class reunions. Start with just one musical tradition of making melody in your heart to the Lord and go from there.
I’ll close with a family tradition of a sweet elderly friend of mine. She shared with me that a practice of her family was to sing The Doxology at the end of every family gathering as the event came to a close. Years later, when this precious lady was honored at her funeral service, it was so touching to see her husband and sons follow the attendants out of the church sanctuary. As her family gathered around her for that final parting in the church foyer, we who remained inside the church were touched by the beautiful strains of “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below…”
I encourage you to grasp with joy the gift of music that our Creator has so graciously given us. Allow its beauty to fill your soul, mind, and spirit. It will take some effort, but you can start simply with a sack of sandwiches and a harmonica. It will be worth it.
