Piano Lessons by Sophi

Parent's Role in Child's Piano/Music Studies

Parent’s attitude plays of great importance in a child’s success with piano/music learning. Success in piano /music learning requires support from the parents in the same way as parental involvement is crucial to a child’s success in school.

It is not only the teacher’s job to teach your child to play. It is parent’s involvement, encouragement and a loving attitude towards music that will help your child learn, love, appreciate and produce great results. Most importantly parents need to understand that it will take a long time for a child to master piano playing. It is not a short-lived process, but a lifelong experience of constant learning and mastering the proficiency of playing this beautiful instrument.

Consequently, since it is known that music does so much more than teach a child how to play in instrument. Piano practice should be as important in a child’s life as learning math and science. 

Distorted parent’s attitude towards piano lessons: 

 

• Some parent with a distorted notion about piano/music lessons submissively allow their children to decide whether they wish to practice or not.

“If Nelly loves it then she will practice. If she does not feel like practicing, then we should not force her. Therefore, it is best to discontinue because she dislikes it”

Let’s clarify this distorted notion: 

Young children are incapable of deciding what is best for them. There will be days when children wake up and decide not to go to school. When that happens, parents would never cater to their child’s cries, because it is unthinkable to not go to school.

So, why piano/music practicing should be different! When parents understand that piano lessons are just as important to a child’s development as other subjects that children learn in school, children will accept it as part of learning and will enjoy practicing piano. 

 

• Some children start up lessons enthusiastically, but as music becomes more complicated they want to give up and quit. Again, allowing your child to quit teaches a child a life lesson: “When life get’s more complicated and troubled, just give up and do something else” That is such an unfortunate upbringing. We always hear that these children as they grow up to be adults usually will have regrets throughout their whole life. 

• Sometimes parents think the child is not progressing, therefore; it is the teacher’s fault.

Before you conclude if it is the teacher’s fault, please take a look whether you, the parent and your child were serious about lessons. In order to determine this, please answer these questions: 

 

1. Is learning piano is a priority or just another burden or busy day?

2. Are you praising and rewarding your child’s piano accomplishments in the way you praise other accomplishments in your child’s life? 

3. Are you helping your child to practice correctly and there is a specific time for it? 

 

How Parents Can Help their Child Practice

 

1. Encourage regular practice. Establish a specific time for practice each day. 

2. Saying let’s PLAY PIANO instead of PRACTICING can help a child to sit down by piano and develop a routine of practicing. 

3. For a beginner child 10- 20 min. is sufficient. As music becomes more complicated, longer practice time will be necessary. 

4. At least once a week create a concert time at your home, when the whole family listens to your child’s practicing and just playing for the pure enjoyment. 

5. LASTLY, THE BEST WAY TO MOTIVATE A CHILD IS TO HAVE A GENUINE INTEREST WITH PRAISE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.