Even though we used to hate learning music when we were kids, I have come to appreciate that my parents did the right thing. Music carries great benefits during our adulthood. Now there are numerous studies that have been conducted to prove that at a later stage in adulthood, those who took music classes at a young age processed sounds of speech at a faster rate.

Music has tremendous power to stir and churn our inner emotions. How many times have we not wiped our tears when we hear some great music while we were down? Simply listening to music has a great effect on various parts of the brain, especially vision and memory. Imaging studies have proved that various parts of the brain get activated by music.

Learning and hearing music in your childhood helps to develop the areas of the brain involving analytical thinking and language development. It helps during the young age to recognize patterns and aids spatial intelligence, which is required to solve problems. Also, it helps younger kids to self express.

However, it should be not be a source of stress, where parents push their kids to be the best musician, but instead it needs to be introduced as a hobby. Something, that over time, they can use to self express.

But where is the time? I would definitely pick music over Math Olympiad training or grueling sessions of academic coaching, or even the great digital toxins of our age – spending numerous hours on Facebook, YouTube, or video games. That is my pick, but what would be yours?

Here are some great articles that provide great points about music:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/science/long-term-benefits-of-music-lessons.html
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/