Care

Being the main care giver, I have always been very close to my children. It has been a lot of fun taking them to the zoo, the museums, the aquarium or teaching them how to bike, how to swim, how to be nice to each other and to themselves. And, of course, it has been a blast playing music with them. They have taught me a lot.

We have played in a few concerts, or on TV, or in a festival. In a few block parties too. These experiences have cemented the bond we developed over the years. It is very natural for them to communicate their feelings with music. I know it has helped my son a lot to get out of the condition he was suffering from when he was very little. Music has made him understood that there was a world outside his head to deal with, a world he could be safe enough and strong enough to not scare him. He is doing good everywhere now. Doesn’t play video games. Doesn’t stay idle and frustrated like so many boys his age, doesn’t spend his week end in his bedroom. He reads, he listens to music, does his homework. And he practices his drums 3 hours a day. Yes, I am very proud of him.

As for my daughter, she has always been a musician. Now, as a teenager, practicing music makes her pay attention to details. Piano obliges her to understand a concept, digest it and improvise with it. Also, she’s our front woman now. She makes people dance and sing and clap when we play out. She has never been shy and she has a good voice: so, she leads. She understands the care that has to go into preparation in order to have a smooth performance.

And, for the record, I didn’t care if my children were to become musicians. The way it went in my family is that I would have fun practicing and they would want a piece of that fun. So, I would show them how to play music. Then we started a band. Yes, that simple. And when we sound bad, they don’t like it. And most of the time they are the ones asking for new songs, new arrangements, new musical adventures.