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From: debbiem@rruxe.UUCP (D. McBurnett)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: How do I get my 6 yr old to practice piano
Message-ID: <293@rruxe.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Sep-85 22:41:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: rruxe.293
Posted: Sun Sep 15 22:41:45 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Sep-85 04:25:34 EDT
References: <2578@pegasus.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J.
Lines: 25

Ya gotta wanna!

I started piano lessons when I was eight, and I didn't much care
to practice some days, either.  My parents attitute was, "hey, this
is not free;  if we are going to shell out the bucks, then you'd
better practice; if you don't practice, you don't want to learn
to play badly enough, and we quit paying."  They relied on progress
reports from the teacher.  Once I realized they were for real, I
practiced more diligently, but after a couple of years, I was tired
of it and told them so.  I took up the piano again a couple of years
later under the same system, with a good deal more motivation
because of their philosophy and how it had previously worked.

One of the requirements of this system is that you leave it strictly
up to the child as to when and how she practices.  No hovering, no
nagging.  If you can't stand the sound of the practicing, go work in
the basement on something equally noisy, like making bookshelves, or
go outside and work on the yard.

If your child wishes to learn to play, this approach ought to be
motivation enough.  If is isn't, I'd guess SHE isn't the one who
wants her to be taking the lessons.

Debbie McBurnett
rruxe!debbiem


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