Of all the subjects in this series, music is the one most likely to be treated as optional. When the homeschool day gets crowded — when the math lesson runs long or the reading needs more attention or the afternoon disappears faster than expected — music is often the first thing that gets set aside. It feels like enrichment. A nice addition when there’s time. Something to add back in when the fundamentals are solid. This post makes the case that this instinct, however understandable, gets the priority exactly backwards.