| While piano benches are not known for having an | | | | activities and help him or her fully enjoy the overall |
| abundance of storage space, there is plenty of room | | | | experience. |
| under the piano bench lid to store papers. Another | | | | 3. Be sure to prioritize as needed. Prioritizing activities is |
| storage option for the student is a sheet music cabinet. | | | | a natural response to involvement in many things. |
| That is exactly where Nolan found the papers he | | | | There will be times when school work or functions |
| needed for his lesson and he snatched them quickly | | | | take precedence over everything else. There may be |
| and headed out the door. He had searched | | | | times in the life of a child where he excels in a |
| everywhere before thinking to look there and now he | | | | particular sport or other endeavor and chooses to |
| was going to be very late for his lesson. Nolan spent | | | | spend almost all free time following that passion. |
| his after school hours constantly on the run, going from | | | | 4. Parents should take the opportunity to model |
| one lesson to another, plus he attended various | | | | organization to their children. The parent who is |
| practices and programs throughout the year. Some | | | | disorganized with their time promotes a chaotic |
| evenings he was staying up far too late just to finish | | | | environment. A large factor in a child being able to |
| his homework. He was starting to get overwhelmed | | | | follow through with commitments, succeed with |
| and tired. His parents realized they had to intervene | | | | practices, and show up to lessons on time and |
| and started thinking about ways they could assist their | | | | prepared has to do with parents structuring an |
| son. The following are five things parents and children | | | | organized home environment. |
| can focus on to help learn to manage that valuable | | | | 5. Parents and children should work toward the goal of |
| after school time. | | | | consistency. Developing a routine helps parents and |
| 1. Parents and children should not be afraid to say no | | | | children alike stay consistent when it comes to their |
| to activities or commitments. Whether or not the | | | | activities. When expectations are clearly defined it |
| activity would be enjoyed or beneficial is not always | | | | provides an attainable goal for everyone to work on |
| the basis for a decision. Sometimes even enjoyable | | | | together. |
| and/or beneficial activities simply cannot be fit into a | | | | Families are on the go like never before and talented |
| busy schedule. | | | | kids have many opportunities presented to them. |
| 2. Parents and children must strive for balance when | | | | Families who are able to organize their time and |
| possible. Children often have a number of valuable | | | | commitments will feel the satisfaction of |
| interests and activities in which to participate. The | | | | accomplishment while minimizing the stress that comes |
| opportunity to be exposed to many things is invaluable, | | | | with a very busy lifestyle. Parents who are able to |
| yet the child who feels overwhelmed by an | | | | employ good time management skills and teach them |
| experience may write it off as a dislike simply | | | | to their children are setting themselves up for |
| because he can not give it the proper focus. A | | | | involvement in a number of satisfying activities. |
| balanced schedule can help a child feel in control of his | | | | |