| If you have to nag your child to practice the piano, I | | | | Nagging won't help. Nagging is a huge part of the |
| have news for you. There's something called the | | | | problem, not the solution. |
| Battle of the Piano and you've already lost. | | | | The child simply follows human nature. |
| The Battle of the Piano is the time honored process | | | | What is the solution? A rule of thumb is to listen to |
| whereby a child is either deemed a success at the | | | | your child. |
| piano or not. | | | | Don't think that going and observing a lesson will be |
| Some children make it. They number 10% of all kids | | | | any indicator of your child's progress. The teacher, |
| who try. | | | | your employee, will be putting on a performance and |
| Some children don't make it. They number 90% of all | | | | your child will be terrified that you will be displeased. |
| the kids who try. | | | | Listen to your child. Go for a few weeks and see if it |
| The moment your child's interest in piano lessons starts | | | | gets better. Keep listening to the child and ask them |
| to wane, usually due to a lack of creativity on the | | | | how they feel about it, and be sympathetic. Draw |
| teacher's part, you have entered the Battle zone. | | | | them out on exactly why they don't like it. Assume |
| After what I call the "honeymoon," where a child finds | | | | they might be correct and get them to describe the |
| piano rather fun and interesting, there comes a | | | | lesson, perhaps request a comical reenactment to put |
| moment of reality, when the child realizes | | | | them at ease and make them give you more details. |
| subconsciously that the teacher has no tools OTHER | | | | You're on their side. |
| THAN REPETITION. | | | | Then, if the child's attitude persists or gets worse, you |
| The one tool of the non-creative piano teacher is | | | | have two choices. |
| repetition, mindless and numbing. | | | | First, try a different piano teacher. Spend your time |
| Such repetition is fine for an adult who is determined to | | | | talking to local people and find out if there is someone |
| play Beethoven, and is willing to pay the dues to do so. | | | | who specializes in children and has a reputation for |
| But for a six year old, it is a crushing regimen, a fact | | | | making music fun for your age group. Find out which |
| borne out by the 10%-90% statistics. | | | | teachers are disciplinarians and avoid them, especially |
| When a child's interest in the piano wanes, they are | | | | with younger kids. |
| surely headed for quitting if the teacher's only tool is | | | | The only other alternative is to give in to the child, and |
| repetition. | | | | let them quit. It may actually be a better solution than |
| As your nagging increases, the child becomes more | | | | allowing the bad feelings in the lessons to continue. Try |
| and more alienated from the piano, until subconsciously | | | | a different instrument, switch to guitar, trumpet, drums, |
| the child blames the piano for your nagging. They can't | | | | anything. |
| hate you for nagging, you're Mom, so they hate the | | | | Or take a break from lessons and try again later when |
| piano instead. | | | | you're sure a better teacher can be found. Find out |
| Mind you, all the while you're unknowingly paying this | | | | what things the child finds fun about musical |
| teacher to make your child hate the piano, and you're | | | | instruments. Go to a store and try out musical |
| adding to the stress with your entreaties. | | | | instruments. |
| You ask the teacher for advice, after all, you're paying | | | | Let them try a variety of instruments until they find one |
| them, and I guarantee you their only suggestion will be | | | | that suits them, and at which they seem comfortable |
| that the child practice more. That's the one tool they | | | | and willing to expend at least a reasonable amount of |
| have. | | | | effort. |
| It's as if your child hates broccoli, and the chef's solution | | | | Music lessons for children should be an enjoyable |
| is to serve even larger portions. That chef knows | | | | experience, and if it's not, there's something wrong. |
| nothing of child psychology and human nature. | | | | The number one rule is to never force a child to learn |
| Look at it from the child's point of view. This crossfire | | | | music. Ever. |
| of negativity from you and the piano teacher can have | | | | If you force them, I guarantee you they will end up |
| only one inevitable result, and that is the emotional | | | | hating it. |
| destruction of the child's desire to play. | | | | |