Things I Should Have Realized a Long Time Ago - Part 5

Kids have a lot to learn.

Well, duh. That's why they go to school. And that's why they make such fascinating subjects for fiction.

Earlier this week, I accompanied Jeremy to his first voice lesson. While I've taken many music lessons, none have involved singing. Breathing for singing involves the diaphragm, which is similar to playing a wind instrument, but the big difference is where the air goes after a breath. When playing a wind instrument, the air goes out the player's mouth, and the vibrations that produce the sound waves are made by the reed, lips or mouthpiece. The sound is then enhanced by the structure of the instrument. When singing, all that happens in the singer's body. I don't understand the bits about the back of the throat and the sinus cavities, but clearly, good singers do. The voice lesson contained a wealth of new information.

The other part of Jeremy's learning experience was driving to and from the lesson. Jeremy has a learner's permit and is currently logging his fifty hours of practice driving. When we got to the lesson, he parked on the curb. When we left, he had to make a three point turn (in my lengthy station wagon), which he did beautifully. Then he had to negotiate that that tricky section of road where two busy lanes suddenly become one.

I realized teenagers learn a ton of new stuff every day, and there isn't much of a break between each learning experience.