(Virtuoso Sarah Chang, at age ten — the age at which age I was reading comic books. Period.)
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Your ten-year-old will say...
..."Hey, why'd you slap my head? You made me lose my place in Donkey Destructor IV! I was gonna advance a hoof!"
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15 comments:
Blog headline tonight in New Zealand:
"Biblical Christianity Advocates Striking Tots' Heads!!!"
Well, if they're ten, they should have strong enough skulls to take a smack or two. As long as they're drinking their milk, anyway.
Anyway, I'm not sure how exactly to formulate the questions, but this video does remind me to think through issues of how to raise children and how hard to push to develop their various gifts. Need to get some ideas in line before our kids start arriving. Based on my own experience, one rule I know we have set in stone is "don't count on public schools to develop gifts in any way".
Dan,
I saw this video some time ago and it struck me that people like Sarah Chang are examples of God's common grace to the rest of us.
Steve
OMG!! PONIES!
Anyway, I'm not sure how exactly to formulate the questions, but this video does remind me to think through issues of how to raise children and how hard to push to develop their various gifts.
If you ever figure this out, please email me. My blog address is in my profile!
I have four sons with a fifth on the way (due in April) and my oldest is somewhat precocious. And in the same vein somewhat lazy. (which makes him more than somewhat like his father).
At the same time, I want my son's passion to be directed toward God, not a violin or swimming. So we spend a lot of time in the Word.
I should explore what trogdor is talking about too. How hard to push? My personal ambition for my children is that they come to know the Lord at an early age, and learn the spiritual disciplines that will develop their relationship with Him: bible study, prayer, etc.. Other than that, I don't want to be driving them around to 3 different classes and practices every day, and I think it's sad when parents use their children to pursue their own failed ambitions. But on the other hand, God wants us to use all the talents He gives us.
My loosely formed plan is, when they're young, kind of let them get into any sport or art or whatever they take a fancy to ... but pick one thing that they have to stick with, hopefully to learn that there is a better kind of "fulfillment" and "satisfaction" which only comes well beyond the point of "this looked like fun, but now it's work, and I don't feel like doing it any more". Also, I want to be _involved_ with them in their activities and interests, not just a supervisor.
Like a lot of things, I guess it's probably a matter of balance, "seek[ing] first the kingdom of God," and keeping priorities right.
She's a modern day Mozart. Just one of those rare people who are blessed to have such talent.
Hopefully, she won't go mad with arrogance and die at 27.
Well, outing myself at Pyro as a singer, then reading this, certainly brought back some vivid memories of how my "giftedness" was guided. My family was/is Reformed Baptist, which means that my early talent in music was only allowed to be expressed through hymns and classical music. No jazz (which I loved), no soul (ditto), and certainly no demon rock and roll. It was a tremendous source of friction.
Today, my middle daughter shows even more promise than I did - she's pitch perfect, has scary amounts of rhythm, and has been saying since she was five that she wants to be a rock star. Gaaaaahhhh!!
Thanks to my wonderful husband's guidance, we've invested in a little pink guitar, and her gramma bought her this little video feed thing so she can play her MP3 player and watch herself sing on T.V., and then we just loaded up the player with all the music I sing at church. She loves it all, and the bonus is that every time I sing at church I see her singing along to every word.
I think there are some kids that just show obvious genius, like Ms. Chang, where the challenge is more about harnessing it so she doesn't explode, like Fred says. But more often, for kids like me or my daughter, who have moderate skill and passion that could be honed to various levels of expertise, it's more about godly stewardship and priorities.
Oh good grief, Dan, and I was feeling so proud of my 12-year old, who just started piano lessons in January, and can now plink out a 2-finger-at-a-time-max "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik".
Um... genius we ain't.
But, seriously, I agree with Rachael. Certainly there are parents who push their kids too hard (music, sports, etc.) but some kids are overflowing with talent and energy.
And, this may be random, but you know what I liked from the clip? She looked about 10 or 12, and she was dressed in a (kind of foofy) young girl dress. Not tarted up, Hollywood style, like an adult.
Never mind the ten year old - the music was great.
All I thought about was video games at her age...
And then for too many years to come...
Maybe my Dad was right when he said that they didn't have much of a benefit...
I guess I could take up an instrument...
My co-worker upgraded to xbox 360 and just gave me his old one for my kids. I haven't taken it home yet and maybe I won't now.
Dan, you just ruined the life of any poor kid whose parent happened to watch that video. Nice.
It's what I do!
(c:
I got it!
If I ever have any kids of my own I'll just have them play video games relentlessly for hours on end hoping that they'll become professional gamers and make hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Oh wait.... isn't that what parents do already with regular sports? My bad... nvm.
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