It might sound cliche, but the best thing you can do when learning an instrument is practise.
Consistent practise takes an extraordinary amount of discipline and willpower, and as parents and teachers we often overlook this and reduce ourselves to berating and lamenting our kids to practise.
Rosa Kang, director of Latitude Music Studios in Surrey Hills, has some helpful ways for parents to better manage their own expectations for their children when it comes to learning an instrument.
Here are some things to keep in mind that might help parents navigate this territory:
1. At any given point in your child’s music education, what they are learning and taking home to practise is hard for them.
That’s how we push them to progress, and that process never ends. Learning an instrument is relentless!
Empathise with your kids – acknowledge the challenges they’re undertaking and let them know they’re doing amazing, just by tackling them! Praise them for their achievements and remind them when they need it.
Confidence will wax and wane, and motivation to practise is tied to that.
2. Be careful not to equate the willingness kids have to practice, to how much they want to learn their instrument. Think about it – having that cheat meal doesn’t mean you don’t want to look good in those jeans! It takes a great amount of will power to be disciplined!
Help create an environment that is conducive to practising – establish routine, try to minimise distractions during their practise time and use bribery and reward by all means!
3. Be curious and involved! Ask them what new things they’ve learnt, if they felt their practise time was effective, what they’re enjoying and why. Regardless of whether you know an iota about music or not, your engagement can help foster an energy in the kids that may inspire a deeper connection with the music and instrument they’re playing.
We all know practise is essential for progress so we have nothing to lose by helping our kids traverse the demands that is practising.
The resulting joy we get from music is worth it.
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