Music helps foster healthier minds

Idleness, coupled with poor discipline and wrong supervision can easily create problems for the youth. It’s vacation time and some parents parents wonder what to do with their children. Some children did well at exams, some didn’t, some dropped out of school, some are planning to run away, while some have already made connections with the underworld. The reality is, parents and guardians must have a firm grip on their children. It is incumbent upon them to be proactive and make proper provisions for their charges during vacation time or not, aimed at ensuring positive outcomes from activities whether at home or not. A child must be an improved product after recreational or non-recreational activities. 

 

 

Concerned over the vast percentage of children during free time with nothing meaningful to do particularly, given the nature and intense spiraling of crime, many holiday workshops are being conducted including those that offer music. Why music? The experts believe that through music many significant benefits can be derived. Just as words, music is extremely powerful.  

Music can be used as a conduit to delinquency and crime prevention starting from the womb. Having recently concluded a live ten-year study within a “high-risk” community on The Evolution of Delinquency and Crime, interacting with minor and heinous offenders both within the community and prisons, respective parents and guardians and random adults, I conclude that there are four main causes for delinquency and criminal activity: 

• Unawareness of the difference between education and sound education

• Inappropriate and/or inadequate education, enabling inappropriate behaviours 

• Laziness: which manifests into lack of zeal or ambition to do anything worthwhile 

• Innate weakness: loss of self, low spirit, loss of centre 

 

 

These major ills lead to frustration and vulnerability. 

According to Professor of Music at UTT, Katy Gainham: “Active participation in music creation and performance also builds confidence in learning and presentation, which can be transferred in other areas of study.” Music can be of social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, professional, mental, moral and physical benefit. Music, without the contamination of illegal use, can improve health and create wealth. It fosters proper posture, breathing techniques and co-ordination. Depending on the instrument played and genre of music performed, musicians are at times required to engage in choreography to enhance the entertainment. Music encourages discipline and builds character. It’s much more effective than controlled substance to ease frustration and control anger. It helps develop excellent interpersonal and intercommunity relationships, team-spirit and a strong support system. 

 

 

Some people tend to become extremely emotional over minor issues. At times, people seem unable to control their anger conjuring up unsatisfactory excuses. Someone who is music literate or who plays an instrument, can avoid harming themselves and others through redirecting emotions to music—score a melody, compose lyrics, or play an instrument. Music impacts the spirit, raises self-esteem. Music can be a soothing and healing therapy. If adjusted well to the regimens and disciplines of music, learning and developing skills become easy. Music impacts our thoughts.