Our children's passion

Many times we equate loud noise with stress, so we would all rather sip our coffees, or teas, or alcohol in the pure quiet bliss of our home. Every parent likes a peaceful house but we all know the reality and it is not gonna happen.  Although we do try and make a great effort to not add additional noise to our lives sometimes it can not be helped.  For instance....My son wanted to take drum lessons.  Now immediately my wife began to conjure up images of being kept awake all night while my son banged away, badly at the drums til the wee hours of the morning........OK...OK.....calm down.  Its not going to be that insane.  


So we, my wife and I, debated about whether or not to allow him to take these drum lessons.  Now for a little historical update.......Drumming runs in the blood of my family.  My father tried to make a career of it.  He was in a band at the age of 16 (and still is at the age of 62).  He even moved out West to California to have a go at it.  He is really good at it, just never caught that break.  My Uncle also played through high school and even in college, where it helped him earn some extra money on the weekends.  He doesn't play regularly anymore but I have seen him pick up the drum sticks and play twice since those younger days and he picked up right where he left off like he never stopped playing.  My youngest brother plays, my mother took lessons in school, hell I even enjoy dabbling on the drums even though I have had no formal training, just a families influence.


OK, so I got off track, my bad. The point is that drumming is good exercise and a great form of self-expression - which both things my son needs.  Well, it only took two things to happen to convince my wife.   1) With my sons own Christmas money he bought the Wii rock band and she got to see how good he was at that and 2) While at my Dad's, she saw him take the beats and muscle memory from playing the Wii rock band and sit behind my Dad's drum kit and not only play but literally his face lighted up with a huge smile and he played with passion and joy; what mother can say no to that???


So needless to say as of this writing he has been taking lessons for a few months now and it is going well.  He enjoys it and practices his lessons everyday, I have not had to remind him.  My wife also learned that her cousin played (and he also happens to be our sons godfather) and he was so excited to hear that Alex was playing that he gave him his old drum set! 

Bring the Noise!