Hi Knute,
Your post described a similar situation to mine where the school, which is a leading music school in NYC for elementary grade students, pushed me because of my DD's talent. So part of me felt compelled to push her to be as good as she could be.
The process we went through this year made me realize she didn't have the passion to be as good as she could be. And I know kids that do. And I cannot make her have the passion because she has the talent. But I can make her be somewhat disciplined so that she explores her talent and maybe make some choices to use it later on.
Just like I told her that if she really want the NYC ballet, she should start doing some stretching everyday, starting in Sept. But it is her choice. I said I would help her with what to do but she has to want it as part of her routine. And I will help her with the discipline. I wish someone would help me with the discipline to exercise everyday and not eat crap. But that is another forum...
We moved up bike size, from 12 inch wheels, where she really couldn't get any speed, to 16 inch wheels, where she barely can touch the ground with the seat as low as it goes. We were at the beach this weekend and she was riding and actually doing pretty well, but sometimes, stopped, the bike fell over, she fell with it because she couldn't really reach. The attitude is so bad. That is what I do not want. The crappy attitude. Blaming me, first because I was giving instructions. And then I wasn't but wasn't close enough when she went down.
Her recital is tomorrow and she is playing 2 pieces fast and being a little sloppy with the speed. I have been trying to get her to slow down slightly, a smidgeon I tell her. But she loves the flying fingers and the speed to play them. She loves her talent that way but not perfectionism to play it perfectly. I thought of that movie Vitus where he was playing a piece for a new teacher and the teacher asked him to play it differently but he didn't want to. The teacher obviously pushed his way. But it is like that when they can make their fingers fly and they can learn these difficult pieces.
Ah well.
Ren
