Fred Rogers often said that it seemed to him that music had always been at the root of who he was and what he did. When he was angry as a child, his family wouldn't allow him to crash and stomp around through the house, but they did encourage him to play out his feelings on the piano. That's when he discovered the real power of music. He'd begin by banging random notes -- anything, like a punch. The longer he played, though, the calmer his music became, the calmer he became, too. That piano probably got him out of a lot of trouble. He said that he could always laugh and cry and be angry through the tips of his fingers on piano keys.

We are All Musical in Some Ways

Music is one art we all have inside. We may not be able to play an instrument, but we can sing along or clap or tap our feet. Have you ever seen a baby bouncing up and down in the crib in time to some music? When you think of it, some of that baby's first messages from parents may have been lullabies or at least the music of their speaking voices. Most of us have had the experience of hearing a tune from childhood and having that melody evoke a memory or a feeling. The music we hear early on tends to stay with us all our lives.

Exposing Children to Music

Even if the only thing adults can "play" is the radio or CD, we can still give children a smorgasbord of musical experiences -- just through our appreciation. As with most things, a love of music is "caught" much more than "taught." Music has a chance to become a way for children to express themselves if they're given an appreciation of it by caregivers who truly care about music and who truly care about them.

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