What a Ferris Wheel Ride Taught Me About Encouraging Kids to Learn Music

by Drew Holmes

“We’re going to fall!”

“Buddy, we’re going to be fine! Look at those animals to the left, and over there on the right! There’s an airplane inside the building!”

“I can’t look, I’m too scared!”

The conversation continued like this for a few more minutes as I tried to remind Timothy, almost aged 8, that what we were doing had been his idea in the first place.

We were at Scheels, ostensibly a sporting goods store, to purchase new soccer cleats. If you have ever been to Scheels, you will know it is so much more than just soccer gear. In addition to two floors packed with every sporting good imaginable, inside the building is a giant arched aquarium entryway, a two-lane bowling alley, and a three-story tall Ferris wheel.

After locating a suitable pair of cleats (neon pink as usual) we headed past the Ferris wheel towards the checkout when Timothy begged me for a ride. We had been on it before, so thinking nothing was amiss I purchased the cleats and two tokens.

While in line for our turn to ride, Timothy chatted up the mother and daughter in front of us. “It’s real scary!” he said to the three-year old.

“But you’re brave and have been on it before!” I chimed in, not wanting to scare the child who clearly was experiencing this for the first time. Fortunately, she seemed unfazed, and we continued talking as the wheel slowed down.

It came to a stop and Timothy seemed nervous as we climbed the ramp into our car. Seat belt fastened and safety bar secured, the car lurched backwards, and we were on our way to the top. That’s when the panic set in. He gripped the bar tight and continued to imagine the worst as our car climbed ever higher.

I told him that nothing bad could possibly happen and tried to distract him with the spectacular view from the top, putting my arm around his shoulder to assure him we were in this together.

As we start another school year, the Ferris wheel ride reminded me of the countless kids that are participating in music making for the first time. Many have never sung or played a note but joined an ensemble with excited anticipation without really knowing what to expect. Reaching their musical goals will not always be smooth and there may come times they want to quit, but as parents it is our job to offer encouragement and assure them that doing hard things is possible. No matter how much they want to stop the wheel and get off, sharing the experience and reminding them that they are not alone will push them through the rough patches and keep them on the path of loving music for a lifetime.

After a few spins up and back down, our turn on the Ferris wheel ended. Despite Timothy’s momentary panic, he had fun and made it safely back to solid ground.

“I’m so proud of you buddy! You did the hard thing and made it through!” I congratulated him.

When looking back on that day, Timothy will probably recall having been momentarily afraid. I hope he will also remember overcoming that fear and that his dad was by his side encouraging him to do hard things and seek out challenges with enthusiasm and confidence. No matter where we go next, I am excited to be on this ride with him.