Utilizing music as a parenting tool for development and achievement
Music can help activate both sides of the brain
Music has been used in sacred ceremonies and shamanic rituals since ancient times. It has served various purposes, being used for entertainment, religious events, rituals, parties, and festivals. However, only recently has it been found that sound can be used to affect and change our brainwaves and alter our state of being.
The principles of using resonance and entertainment are the fundamental concepts behind the use of sound to transform and heal. They are found in every practice that uses sound, regardless of the tradition, belief system, or culture. However, in most cases, those utilizing sound for spiritual or other purposes may not have been aware of its effects. But an examination of these practices, from the Hindu use of mantras to the shamanic use of chanting and drumming, reveals a commonality in the basis of sonic transformation and healing.
Why is this relevant to parents?
Music is a powerful creation, having a tremendous impact on memory and learning and showing the ability to influence emotions and brain activity. As parents, we can harness the power of music to help our children. It has been proved that children who study while Mozart (The Mozart Effect) is being played in the background have higher activation of both the right and left brain. Music activates the structure that connects the two sides of the brain and that stimulates both sides of the brain to work together. When both sides work together, it creates strong neuropathways that make focusing and recalling information easier.
In 1982, researchers from the University of North Texas performed a three-way test on postgraduate students to see if music could help in memorizing vocabulary words. The students were divided into three groups. Each group was given three tests — a pre-test, a post-test, and a test a week after the first two tests. All of the tests were identical.
· Group 1 was read the words with Handel’s ‘Water Music’ in the background. They were also asked to imagine the words.
· Group 2 was read the same words also with Handel’s ‘Water Music’ in the background. Group 2 was not asked to imagine the words.
· Group 3 was asked to read the words only without any background music and was also not asked to imagine the words.
The results from the first two tests showed that Group 1 and 2 had much better scores than Group 3. The results from the third test, a week later, showed that Group 1 performed much better than Group 2 or 3. So, music, especially when paired with imagination, showed greater results in the memorization and recall of information.
Does only classical music make a difference?
It does not have to be a specific type of music, even when we hear something as recent as house music, all four lobes of the brain react.
Our memories, emotions, thoughts, and movement are all impacted.
The brain processes the tone, pitch, and volume of the music in the auditory cortex, and when this information gets to the amygdala, the brain releases dopamine, the chemical associated with reward, pleasure, and motivation. Additionally, ambient house music can help us focus; the repetitive patterns are unobtrusive yet stimulating, aiding concentration without distracting.
Drumming, which was used in ceremonies and rituals, also has a deep impact on the brain. The constant rhythm of drumming permeates the entire brain bringing both hemispheres into rhythmic balance. This balance brings with it brain integration and deep healing.
We can go a step further than listening to music.
Listening to music is powerful, but so is playing an instrument. Researchers at the University of Montreal used various brain imaging techniques to investigate brain activity during musical tasks and found that sight-reading musical scores, and playing music, both activate regions in all four of the cortex’s lobes, and parts of the cerebellum are also activated during these tasks.
Playing any musical instrument will help us use both sides of our brain and strengthen brainpower, which includes spatial reasoning, literacy skills, memory. Most importantly, is it the intent of the performer that creates an impact on the listener. So, the conscious awareness and purpose of the creator, the intent that stems from the brain influences the healing power of the music. So, for music to have a profound effect, it is the intent and energy of the performer that matters.
Dr. John Diamond who spent many years demonstrating that just holding certain substances can give us energy or rob us of energy. In his book, ‘The Life Energy of Music’, he further went on to show that the player of the music could do the same thing. The main aspect of what made the music positive and strengthening or negative and weakening depended upon the intention of the person creating the music, and this is why we are so affected by it. Their energy affects our internal states. So, when we parent children to learn music, we need it to come from an area of interest, not that of compulsion.
Kids may play music or sing just for themselves. They may be out of tune or not conform to the standard norms of music. But as parents, we need to encourage them to explore it. Michael E. DeBakey, leading heart surgeon, Baylor College of Music, said:
“Studying music encourages self-discipline and diligence, traits that carry over into intellectual pursuits, and that lead to effective study and work habits. An association of music and math has, in fact, long been noted. Creating and performing music promotes self-expression and provides self-gratification while giving pleasure to others. In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients. For all these reasons, it deserves strong support in our educational system, along with the other arts, the sciences, and athletics.”
So, what do we need to do?
As parents, we can play good music and encourage our children to pay attention to the lyrics and enjoy the intricacies of music. Introduce your child to various styles of music, but do not let your likes and dislikes of the various styles of music limit you. Slowly your children may start choosing what suits them and their personalities. Remember that anything forced will usually create resistance.
Music does not just have to be for studies and concentration, it can also help children, and even adults, relax. According to Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson of Mindlab International, there are songs that reduce your anxiety by about 65 percent. There is one song he recommends by Marconi Union called ‘Weightless’ that was created in collaboration with sound therapists. Its carefully arranged harmony helps lower the listener’s heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Google and iTunes stores have plenty of brain entrainment music for you to begin with, in case you find traditional meditation to be a challenge at first. There are plenty of meditation apps available as well.
We need to become aware of the potential of the tools around us that can help our children do better and do more. Sometimes, it is not about working harder, for both our children and us, it can be about working smarter; making the most of what we have to get the best out of what we can.
