1. There was a time when art was compulsory in schools, and it wasn’t too long ago. 

    When I entered junior high (now called middle school), I had to choose one of the available art classes as a mandatory course. My options—as I recall them—were art (drawing and painting), drama (acting), glee (singing) and music (either beginning winds or beginning strings). As I had no interest in the arts at that time, I chose the art class because it seemed the easiest and I doubted that I would ever be called on to perform in front of a group or audience. 

    As it turned out, I had no aptitude for drawing or painting, and after creating a picture that my teacher found understandably unacceptable (I won’t go into details, but let’s just say I was lucky not to have been suspended over the drawing) I was asked to choose another art course. At random, I chose beginning winds, entered the class a couple weeks behind everyone else and as a result had to teach myself how to hold, finger and play the same three notes on the clarinet that everyone else was playing. I quickly discovered that while I was no musical prodigy, I did have an aptitude for it and rapidly advanced. While I no longer play clarinet (or saxophone, which I taught myself later), I picked up the piano when I was 15 and continue to play to this day. Being able to play and create original music has enriched my life in ways even I cannot explain. I hate to think of how I might have turned out had I not discovered my musical abilities.

    It is well established that learning to master a musical instrument and to read music improves math comprehension; acting teaches kids how to cope in front of crowds; drawing, sculpting and painting improves hand-eye coordination; dancing improves balance and coordination. All of these teach patience, as patience is required to master any of these skills.

    And they are skills. While it takes real talent to excel in any form of art, anyone can learn to do any of these things provided they apply themselves.

    Schools in California and elsewhere have made art courses voluntary. What’s more, the schools can’t afford the materials and equipment they used to take for granted. As a result student grade averages have plummeted. I have no hard data to support this theory, but I suspect that removing the various arts from the basic curriculum is directly responsible for worsening grades and the drop off in school attendance nationwide.

    Therefore it falls upon parents to not only encourage kids who want to take art classes, but to force art upon their children. Yes, this is very politically incorrect; after all, a lot of people who had to take compulsory art classes hated it and dropped the skill as soon as they could. However, these people—though they may not believe it—still benefited from the art classes they took.

    Children now have more freedom than ever before to do whatever they want. As a result, a startling number of them graduate from high school without the basic knowledge that we took for granted when we went through grades K-12.  Illiteracy rates haven’t been higher since the 19th Century. As parents, it is up to us to not behave as a friend to our children, but as a parent. This means forcing them to do some things they don’t want to do, like get off the computer or X-Box and get some exercise, or study and do their homework, or do the dishes and help around the house. It also means that—because the schools can’t or won’t provide a balanced education—we have to see to it that our children have the same well-rounded education that we had (or in some cases should have had) at their age.

    Most schools still have limited art classes, but it’s up to you to make your kids enroll in them. And while you encourage your kids in the arts, be sure to “keep it real.” In other words, don’t overinflate their egos or fill their heads with an unlikely future as a professional artist of any description. While it’s important to know, appreciate and understand the arts, finding good-paying jobs in the field is nearly impossible. I have many friends who are incredibly talented musicians. Only two work in music professionally: one as an elementary school music teacher and the other as a pianist in a lounge. Both had visions of a life filled with fame and fortune that never came to be, despite their enormous talent. Interestingly, these two are two of the lowest-paid friends I have; most of my musician friends who did not pursue careers in music have high-paying jobs and play in bands on the side for fun. 

    Don’t let your kids delude themselves based on what they see on TV, but do encourage them to take art classes seriously and practice, practice, practice!

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