Dan's Papers - September 5, 2008

Here at Dan's Papers, a few editors find it easy, if not motivating, to work while they listen to music - including vocal music. It amazes me that people can write/edit words while listening to other words, but I respect my colleagues' work habits. On the other hand, I find it impossible to do any writing/editing when any kind of music is playing. (I'm forever grateful for the invention of headphones.) Surely, that's partly because I'm a professionally trained musician and listening for me is a very complicated matter. But I'm certain the other reason is because I just wasn't wired that way.

Yes, this is part two of "Wiring the Adolescent Brain." In my last column, I talked about influencing a child's thought process by teaching him how to think. But there is another element to that: helping to stimulate a child's thought process and creativity by creating study/play/work habits to help him or her focus and be more productive.

When we had our son five years ago, brain-stimulating suggestions had been the rage for at least a decade. Put black, white and red shapes over the crib; use flash cards; and for god's sake, play Mozart.

There have been impressive studies about how Mozart, specifically, has been shown to stimulate brain function. I think it's because that within his classical order is tremendous variation. Mozart is the epitome of symmetry, with question/answer phrases, perfectly balanced structure, and music that's built around a strong tonal center. The thought of it makes my brain happy - not order amid chaos, but creativity amid stability. Mozart is, in fact, a metaphor for what every child needs: a harmonious, stable, "centered" environment with caregivers who are flexible and creative enough to recognize and respond to the needs and motivations of the individual child.

Of course I didn't think about this when we bought into the marketing and decided to play Mozart for our son. What the hell, couldn't hurt. And we enjoyed it, too. Because he is an only child, we were always challenged to find ways that he could engage himself without overdosing on Baby Einstein DVDs. Of course we didn't limit it to Mozart, but played all kinds of music: disco, the Beatles, opera, show tunes, progressive.

One of the favorite elements of my childhood was being the youngest of eight, growing up in the '60s. My older siblings were into very different music. My eldest sister listened to Barbra Streisand and Brazilian jazz. Another sister played folkie records of Theodore Bikel and Joan Baez. One sister and a brother sang Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary harmonies in a folk group. My mother listened to Herb Alpert. I don't know if any of it helped my thinking, but I'm a monster at "Name that Tune."

So we did the same for our son, but because of my own brain workings, I tended to play instrumental classical music. We'd go into his playroom with him, put on a CD, engage him in an activity, then quietly leave the room. Invariably, he'd become engrossed in his cars and garage, building blocks, dinosaurs, and eventually bring us some contraption he'd created. It still works. When I need to do something else and need him NOT to watch videos, we go through the same routine.

Did Mozart raise his IQ? I don't know. But now he knows that in high school and college it won't hurt to add "A Little Night Music" when he's burning the midnight oil.