I wish my parents had let me quit piano lessons. Said no one ever.
Rather, most adults say the opposite – lamenting the fact that their parents pulled the plug for one reason or another. Chances are, they were responding to what they perceived as a lack of interest or commitment from the child. Most parents recognize the value of early music education. But when push comes to shove, getting their kids to stick with piano lessons is costly battle that many parents lose. And consequently, the children lose as well.
What’s a parent to do? Here are my top tips for keeping your kids involved in music training.
First, start ’em young.
How young? Well, research demonstrates that a child’s brain is at peak capacity for learning music from birth to age 9. And yet, finger dexterity, literacy skills and even attention span for a young child are not developed enough for traditional lessons. Here’s where methodology is key.
Early music exposure, particularly to classical music and nursery rhymes is a great start. Dancing can help a young child gain a sense of rhythm that will aid them in future music instruction. Training the ear to match pitch and hear harmonies also prepares them to succeed at piano because they recognize melodic patterns aurally before they read them on the staff.
The trick in teaching young children music is to find age-appropriate methods. It has to be fun! Sitting at a piano bench simply doesn’t fit the bill. Children need to move their bodies; they need games and activities. Kids play to learn – and music is no different. Sit them on a piano bench for a half hour lesson and, with only a few exceptions, they will quickly tire of it. But create an environment ripe with play and interaction and they will thrive.
So start young, and use age-appropriate methods.
Second, don’t make piano practice a “chore”.
Parent involvement in practicing an instrument is absolutely fundamental. When parents are completely hands-off regarding piano practice, it fails to happen. On the flip side, those who are overbearing will suck all the joy out of learning music – which is a crying shame.
Don’t set a specific amount of time for your child to practice – make it more goal-oriented. And as you do so, be excited about it! Instead of saying, “time to practice”, ask them to play something specific for you. Let them show off a new skill. Praise them for progress – however incremental! In those early years, a parent’s enthusiasm will be key to a child’s enjoyment as they learn an instrument. Make it fun – and be realistic about the amount of time required for them to progress. Ten minutes a day for a child under age nine is plenty adequate – particularly when the enjoyment factor is there.
Third, let them quit piano lessons.
Wait, what?
What I mean is, be open to the possibility that piano simply isn’t their instrument. While I agree, piano is a fantastic springboard instrument, each child might not “love” it. So, go ahead and start them out on piano to test the waters. Let them develop a habit of practice and build a foundation of music theory and sight-reading skills. Then evaluate and decide with them if they would rather learn a different instrument. If your heart is set on piano, make a deal with your child that they can move on to another instrument after they reach a certain level of piano first. You might be surprised at how their piano practice improves when you dangle that carrot.
Don’t be the parent who lets their kid quit piano lessons before trying the above methods.
And be honest about what your goals are regarding learning music. If you want your child to stick with music lessons, you have to foster a love for it first. Focus on total musicianship rather than a single instrument.
My husband and I joke that we have had almost the same amount of formal piano training and yet one of us plays well enough to accompany a choir and the other can’t play a single note. Why? Because my parents engendered a love for music in their approach to piano practice. Music was ever-present in our home. I learned music early, and through age-appropriate methods (through fun!).
My first instrument was my voice – and through my voice I trained my ear to love harmony. That translated to learning to love the piano. My parents lacked the funds to invest in years of piano lessons for me. However, the seed was planted, the foundation laid. That set me up for 40 plus years of musical experience, and an immeasurable amount of joy and life lessons to boot.