Does Music Really Affect You?

Hi all! I've decided to do research and try to write an article or 2 a day about life, children in general. I may include everything from pregnancy to teens. And it will include all topics! So, those of you with children or who are planning on having them hope this helps! Like I said, I will do the research before I post something so that it is valid.

Today's topic is music and children! I know first hand that music does influence how a child interacts and their temperment after birth if certain kinds are played during pregnancy!

Let me explain. . . When I was pregnant with my son, Michael in 2001, I only played the classical station when I was in the car, and listened to it at home. I also played it on my tummy for him when he was active and kicking and it settled him right down.

Now, that Michael is 5 almost 6, the same thing still rings true. If he becomes obnoxious like most 5 year olds in the car, I instantly turn the radio to the Classical station, and he calms right down. He loves watching the baby Einstein movies and listening to the cd's. He'll watch it for hours if I let him and won't get bored. He has been intrigued by it since before birth! Even now he'll sometimes choose a Baby Einstein's movie over all his "cool" ones. Michael has a deep appreciation for this type of music already, and calls the classical station the Einstein station! He pretends he conducting a band or symphony!

While I was pregnant with Alexis, I was going through a different type of lifestyle and my friend's at the time were mostly men or those who loves harder music! I listened to everything from Nervana to Emenem to White Stripes and Incubus! I definitely was in a different sort of mood! I was always surrounded by this type of music and didn't mind it! Every once in a while I threw in Country, but never classical!

When Alexis was barely 2 months of age, we (my family and I) were sitting in Chili's in Hawaii. We noticed something different about my youngest gift! She kept looking up to the ceiling every few minutes as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world! We soon realized she only looked up when the music changed or the song changed to a different one! She could already hear the different beats within the songs and identified them. This continued to grow as she got older! Alexis is now 3 almost 4 and while she'll never sit even 1 minute still for a baby Einstein's movie and classical music doesn't sooth her in the least, she loves the more outgoing music and readily identifies with mommies newest tastes of Nickelback and the like! It is the more upbeat music that will calm her and she will learn all of the words if it catches her attention! One of her favorites is Dreaming by Selena! It's "her" song!

While Michael is more structured and needs schedules and structure or else he can get out of control or whiney, Alexis is more vibrant and outgoing and goes with the flow! It usually doesn't phase her to have to be in a new setting doing something new with people she's never met! She'll go right up to them and say hi, what's your name? I'm Alexis! While Michael tends to shy away from the crowd scene unless he has his sister there as a comfort! Lately, after doing the research I have come to realize a lot of what their temperment is determined in the womb! I was very exclusive with my son and what I listened to, while I was more of a free spirit with Alexis! While Michael has been interested in the complicated things of the world and how things are made or why they work and has wanted to be a doctor since he was barely 3, Alexis is more about just being here and enjoying the moment! She doesn't contemplate things like what she wants to be or how things work! Rather she sees the beauty in things and in quick to read someone's feelings! She genuinely cares about others and with cry if they are and sees punishment even to her brother who just hit her as unfair! She wants the world and the people she knows to be happy! 2 children so close in age and yet so very different.

So, the thought has crossed my mind now knowing all this! What should I do with this child that is inside of me now? Well, I've decided to even everything out when possible! I try to listen to everything nowadays from classical to rock! From soothing and structured to outgoing and easy going! I am not sure what kind of an impact this will have and I guess only time will tell! Though, I've listened to a lot of country more lately, but I haven't found too many studies about the affects that can have! I guess time tells all! So, this is my personal take on the subject, but I will post the research I have done to back the facts of music! Enjoy and choose your music wisely, because IT WILL AFFECT how a children behaves!