Some parents believe that listening to classical music turns their children into little Beethovens. I don't think so. It's also not true. Nevertheless, we recently attended a concert with our seven-month-old daughter. Music is enriching even without the "Mozart effect". The invitation to listen to strings and to be able to "chat, sing along and move freely" appealed to us. As parents, we had assumed that we would only be able to attend concerts together again on an adagio basis. Therefore, presto bought two tickets and off to the music temple!
The idea came from many guardians. Numerous families with children were waiting to be admitted to the concert hall. But we didn't see such young trainees as our Pimpf. At the ticket control, we finally got the feeling that we were an exception.
Even more than the question of whether this would even be a suitable event for such a young pair of ears, the checkpoint was interested in the whereabouts of the third ticket. No matter how small the concertgoer was, a seat ticket was a must, we learned.
Regular readers of this newsletter may remember that my daughter is not yet able to sit properly. No seat, no ticket, I had naively accepted. Especially since an additional and better established buttocks with ears would have been excluded from attending the concert if I had bought a ticket for a chair, which would have remained free. There was no other category.
Airlines are smarter. Of course, nothing comes for free here either. Even in lap class, you often have to pay for the transport of small passengers. Which is fine. However, it would not occur to anyone to take unnecessarily tradable seat goods out of sale because of this.
In the end, it was probably pity for the naïve dad and his baby in front of his chest that cleared the way to the classical music gig even without a third card. Fortunately. First of all, we weren't the only ones who only took two seats with the three of us, and secondly, it was great fun.
Although the child was most enthusiastic about the leopard print on the sweater of the woman in front, she was otherwise calm personified and spellbound, for example, by the sounds of the bells for the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker".
And so it may not be the child who has become wiser through classical music, but his parents have.
Which cultural event did you attend first with your children and what do your children get to hear at home (apart from the fact that they should please tidy up their room)? Write to me at: familie@spiegel.de .
My Reading Tips
"This duty to beauty and self-loathing of the natural conditions of our bodies raises the question of how we treat each other as human beings as a whole." This is an answer from an interview with Moshtari Hilal, the author of the book »Ugliness«. The rest of the conversation is also worth reading.
Bárbara Zimmermann is currently writing her doctoral thesis and is the mother of three children. Her youngest daughter has a physical disability. That's all you really need to know to give this woman your attention for a moment. Perhaps Zimmermann is fighting for more recognition for caring mothers. Five well-spent minutes of reading (or three to listen to).
Imagination and positive thoughts certainly do not hinder the path to happiness, success, wealth, health – or whatever is dreamed of. However, so-called manifesting alone has not yet brought anyone to their goal. On the contrary, it is even harmful, studies show. A text for all those who succumb to such hocus-pocus or know someone who does.
The Last Judgement
"True bites of gold," would you like? "Encased in a light dough, fizzed in hot oil and gurgling until golden, then bathed in a reddish sauce that makes you lick your fingers blissfully"? This way, please.
My Moment
"If you ever find yourself assuming your daughter is lazy, remember: first, she's just too smart to bother with such trifles, and second, she'll eventually do it on her own anyway," Sandra Doil wrote to me in response to my previous newsletter. Initially, she had similar experiences with her daughter.
In the end, all well-intentioned motor skills suggestions would have been ignored: "Sorting and plugging games? Why more work than necessary? Dressing yourself? But why? Has no added value if the extra cuddle unit is omitted!« In the meantime, however, according to the mother, Mrs. Doil junior has made up for everything and acts extremely autonomously. I'm looking forward to it!
Yours sincerely,
Philipp Löwe