March 13

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What We Can Learn from Dirty Children

Children love getting dirty. 

No question about it. From the moment they start noticing things.

Think of the dirtiest, germ-ridden thing you can. Seriously, challenge yourself on this one. Perhaps something you saw on the sidewalk this week.

Put that in front of young children, and they will dive in with the enthusiasm of an Olympic swimmer.

As kids get older, the dirty-to-clean ratio starts to shift. Suddenly the "clean" sand at the beach is more pleasant to play with than the dirt outside the house.

Then we become adults and we don't want to get dirty at all. Playing on the ground is an inconvenience because we don't want to soil our pants. Shaving cream is a utility now...no longer a magical substance of wonder.

But, what if we could hold on to the magic of getting dirty?

(Just to be clear, nothing truly unsafe...especially with this COVID-19 stuff still around...)

What if we embrace the freedom of not caring about the dirt?  

What if we continue playing?

What if we continue discovering?

What if we continue taking risks with new things? Like learning to play the piano (obligatory music reference...check!).

Getting dirty is okay. You can always clean up afterwards. That's why they invented soap. 

So, what kind of metaphorical nastiness will you dive into today?

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For parents, students, and anyone else who believes that music can and should be a meaningful part of everyone's life.

About Jonathan Roberts

I am the founder and director of the South Shore Piano School, and I have been teaching the piano for nearly 20 years. My work centers around bringing music to the lives of kids, parents, and adults in an enriching, meaningful way. At the South Shore Piano School, my incredible colleagues and I accomplish this through skill-based teaching, community, and an innovative, people-first business model. You can read more about me here.

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