Making Time for Music Education: How to Incorporate an Online Curriculum into Your Busy Schedule

As parents, we all want the best for our children. We want them to have the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. There are tons of programs, philosophies, ideas telling us how best to do this.  There are lots of opportunities pulling for our time and energy.  And there definitely isn’t one right way.  

I was chatting with a friend today who- when I was expressing frustration about how I dropped the ball on something that had to do with one of my kids’ educational opportunities- said, “Repeat after me…I, [state your name], am doing the best that I can right now. And that is not just “okay” but it is “awesome!”  We are safe, we are fed, we are healthy, and we are loved!”

I needed to hear that today, and maybe you do too!

My intent with this post is not to distract you with one more thing you should be adding into your day, and not to make you feel guilty about what you’re not doing, but to highlight why music education is important, and give you some practical tips and strategies for fitting in music education, if you want to.  (And if you’ve made it this far, I’m assuming you want to!)

I truly believe that one way to give our children a head start in life is through music education. Studies have shown that learning music can improve cognitive development, increase creativity, and lead to a lifetime of enjoyment. However, as parents, we also have many responsibilities and obligations, and it can be difficult to fit everything into our already busy schedules.   A great way to fit in this important study is through an online curriculum.  Let’s specifically consider the benefits and strategies for incorporating an online music curriculum into your children’s lives.

Understanding the Importance of Music Education for Young Children

Music education is an essential part of a child's development. It helps children develop creativity, self-expression, and self-discipline. It also improves cognitive development, including memory, language, and math skills. In addition, music education helps children develop social skills, such as teamwork and cooperation. And let’s not forget, learning music can be a lot of fun, and it can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment whether your little one goes on to study music, or simply be an appreciator of music.

Objections Parents May Have towards Using an Online Music Curriculum

One of the main objections parents may have towards incorporating an online music curriculum into their child's schedule is time constraints. As parents, we all have many responsibilities and obligations, and it can be difficult to fit everything into our already busy schedules. Some parents may be concerned about finding time to fit an online curriculum into their child's already busy schedule.

Understanding Time Constraints

As parents, we all have many responsibilities and obligations. We have to juggle work, school, extracurricular activities, and household responsibilities. These time constraints can make it difficult to fit an online music curriculum into our child's schedule. Furthermore, our children may have their own time constraints, such as school, homework, and extracurricular activities. These time constraints can make it difficult to find time for an online music curriculum.

Making Time for Music Education

I was chatting with a friend who is desperate to find music teachers for her children, she is a homeschool mom of 4 kids.  She would love to find in-person teachers and classes for her young kids, but there are not a lot of options in her area.  She is hesitant to use an online program because she is afraid she won’t prioritize it if it’s not something on her weekly calendar.  Here are a few tips for how to overcome this obstacle. 

• Prioritizing and scheduling

One of the best ways to fit an online music curriculum into a busy schedule is to prioritize it. This means setting aside dedicated time for music education. This can be done by scheduling a specific time each day or each week for an online music curriculum. For example, you could schedule a 30-minute music time every day after school or every Saturday morning.  Put it in your calendar, with an alert, and then honor that time that you have set aside.

• Making use of small pockets of time

Another way to fit an online music curriculum into a busy schedule is to make use of small pockets of time. This means taking advantage of small pockets of time throughout the day to enjoy some musical play. For example, you could enjoy a short 5 minute musical activity while waiting for your child to finish an extracurricular activity or while cooking dinner, or even while in the bath.

Here is what one parent says about how much she appreciates not having to plan one more thing:

• Involving the whole family

Another way to fit an online music curriculum into a busy schedule is to involve the whole family. Teach Dad and older siblings one of the songs you’re learning.  When Grandma comes to visit, sit down for music time with her and share what you’re learning.  Listen to the classical music that you’re learning about in the course while everyone cleans up after dinner.  Get creative with how you fit an online music curriculum into a busy schedule.

Benefits of Incorporating an Online Music Curriculum

Let’s finish off this discussion with a reminder of the benefits of prioritizing a study of music for your young children.  One of the main benefits is improved cognitive development. Studies have shown that learning music can improve memory, language, and math skills. Music education also helps children develop creativity and self-expression. Children who take music lessons are more likely to be creative in other areas of their lives, such as art and writing.

Another benefit of incorporating an online music curriculum is increased creativity. Learning music requires creativity and imagination. Children who learn music learn to think creatively and to express themselves in new and unique ways. Furthermore, creating music can be a lot of fun and can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment.

In addition, a study by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation found that students who studied music scored higher on standardized tests in reading and math, and also had higher graduation rates. They also found that students who take music lessons are more likely to attend college and pursue careers in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and business.

Incorporating an online music curriculum into your child's schedule is a positive step towards their overall development and preparing them for the future.

It’s worth it! Make time for music!

As parents, we all have many responsibilities and obligations, and it is difficult to fit everything into our already busy schedules. However, we can and do make time for the things that matter to us. By prioritizing and scheduling, making use of small pockets of time, and involving the whole family, we can fit an online music curriculum into our busy schedules.

Explore online music curriculum options for your child, don't let time constraints stop you from giving your child an opportunity to learn music, and see the positive impact it can make on their development.