Attended granddaughter's piano recital today

[Marthe48]

My daughter got her kids started in music early. There is something called Let's Play Music for young kids. Their school, at a certain grade level, requires playing flutophone and violin and participating in concerts and drama. My daughter pays for private piano lessons.

I live close to my grand kids and watch their games, their recitals, help with homework, participate in their activities. I am watching them and their friends, their classmates , the next generation grow up. I think getting kids into as many activities as you can manage is really good for the kids. When I see any of the kids play a piece for their recital, when I see their effort in plays, their art, their sports, when the coach is not only teaching them the moves, but the rules and good sportsmanship, it doesn't matter if the kids excel. Let them try and try. They might find something they are good at. But even better, they might find something they love.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. My two younger granddaughters are active....

In sports, Piano, attend a Spanish Language academy in Minnetonka. They are smart girls for 6 and 8.

[underpants]

2. This warms my heart

Arts. Community. Just there.

My wife and I had zero support with our daughter. Not lack of effort it was a distance thing. We both made a big move to come to Richmond.

You must be loving this.

[Marthe48]

5. I do

I am lucky.

[oregonjen]

3. Arts education is so important for children. It's a shame

school districts choose to fund and support sports, but not the arts. My son tried sports, but what really was his passion was playing music. When he found that, his life was much, much richer.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Flutophones are still around ? That's what got me started in music !

Took up saxophone a few years later. What you've learned on one woodwind usually transfers easily to others -- even the bassoon uses the same basic fingers in its lower-middle range.

[Marthe48]

6. I played one

My kids played them.

The other day, my granddaughter was practicing her recital piece on the piano and the flutophone. At the same time. My little one person band.

[TomSlick]

7. I played Flutophone in grade school.

Started playing Trombone in Junior High - continued to play Trombone through college - and still play all these decades later in a community band.

A lot can come from playing Flutophone.

[cilla4progress]

8. Beautiful!

They are lucky to have such a loving grandparent!

[Karadeniz]

9. The really hard part of parenting is teaching children to be kind, compassionate, generous.

Probably best done by example.

[pangaia]

10. The practice of music offers the greatest benefits for the full, rounded growth of human beings

[luvallpeeps]

11. I've cried at every school band performance I've ever attended.

It's a happy cry of course. Their earnest efforts, their dress-up clothes. It just gets me every time. I especially love the cymbals. They wait for their moment. Bless you Marthe48 for being there.

[Marthe48]

12. When I go I feel uplifted

Things like orchestral or band music and buildings like Notre Dame always remind me of what we can do if we work together.
My cousin and her husband have 4 grandchildren different ages, and they go to every game, every performance, even some practices. I admire their dedication. If there's a Guinness record for attendance, they ought to win!