Should Your Child Listen to Music While Doing Homework?
ByThe question of whether your child should watch TV while doing homework was pretty simple and straightforward. That was a definite “NO” under any and all conditions. Music, however, is quite another matter.
First and foremost the type of music makes all the difference. Students will have widely different levels of success with the many different types of music. Some students can manage to listen to some of the music they hear for fun and still get SOME types of assignments done. A student who can handle certain assignments with music may be completely unable to focus on other types of work.
In some cases the only type of music that will work is very limited classical music. There are actually superlearning methods that are based on the use of limited selections of classical pieces and that particular music has been proven by research to stimulate learning.
With music you just need to try it out but be careful to keep focused in conversations with your child or teen that the homework is first. He will need to be performing at his best with the music. Remind him that some types of homework and studying might work with music while other assignments will not. If his performance on the schoolwork is good the music can stay but if not it goes. Point out that it is in his interest to choose carefully both with regard to the music itself and avoid songs that are distracting. He will also want to use very good judgement on which assignments can be done with music and which ones cannot.
You will have to watch very carefully and use your own judgement. When in doubt leave the music out. Success on the homework comes first. Recreation comes at a different time.
