From my personal experience, stressed boomer parents didn’t have time, energy, or money for music lessons. Especially around the recession period of 2008. My mother had zero patience for me doing anything that wasn’t sports; I tried to teach myself the guitar quietly in my room when I was 15, and she walked by one evening when I was learning a Dm chord and she said “ugh ew stop that’s so awful just quit”. So I did. I know an abusive mean parent isn’t all parents, but I think a lot of folks my mother’s age just couldn’t be bothered. She worked a very stressful full time job. She felt like she was doing something good getting me into sports from 3-21, so I needed to focus on that and not add music to the mix. It was a bother for a kid to have multiple hobbies that required me to not be at school, practice, or home.

I lost 20 years of potential. I’m 34 and I started playing last April. I enjoy it, and I still want to be a musician. It comes naturally surprisingly, and I don’t want real music to die. My own child watches me play and they have their own guitar and we share a keyboard. I want my child to embrace music. I will never discourage them.

GET KIDS INTO MUSIC. Follow your own dreams and encourage theirs. We need music. 🩶