Children Learn to Smile
Who teaches a child how to smile? Shinichi Suzuki, creator of the Suzuki Violin Method, made many observations as to how and what children learn. He noticed that “children learn to smile from their parents.” He observed that they learn naturally the mother-tongue language of their parents. He also noticed that children learn mannerisms from those they are around and their personalities are shaped by their parents and family members.
Who is the teacher?
When Dr. Suzuki said that “children learn to smile from their parents,” it implies that smiling isn’t the only thing they are learning. Dictionary.com defines smile as to “form one’s features into a pleased, kind or amused expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up and the front of the teeth exposed.” Most of us know how to smile and how to identify when someone is smiling, but how did we learn to smile. We watched and observed those closest to us in those first few days at the beginning of our life. So Dr. Suzuki is implying with this statement that babies are learning at a lightening fast pace by observing and interacting with the humans closest to them and that those closest to them are teaching them. And that they may not realize they are teaching them! They are learning physical mannerisms, movement, facial expressions, tone of voice, even a locations accent or dialect. We are teaching things and we don’t even realize that we are teaching.
What are you teaching?
Have you ever noticed a son who walks like his dad? Have you ever noticed a daughter who places her hand on her hip just like her mom? Did the dad and mom intentionally set out to teach their child to do those things? No! The child observed and absorbed those movements often unconsciously.
So it leads us to ask the question, what kind of things is your child learning from you? And specifically thinking about how your child interacts with their instrument and those who help them learn their instrument.
Are they learning to smile and enjoy the process?
Not to get frustrated at hard things?
To speak kindly to each other?
Would they be brave and try something new?
Not to quit when it’s hard?
When they fail, to try again?
Do they listen attentively? Do they focus on the person talking to them or are they distracted?
Are they patient with other people?
Be intentional about what you teach today. Not just what you teach in your words, but also what you teach in your actions even our facial expressions.
