Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Piano lesson complaining - LONG

In the case of my kids, it was easy for me to distinguish between hating to practice and hating to play the instrument. My D did have some crying spells early on, and still hates for me to critique her, but she loves to play.

My S hated practicing violin. When he told his violin teacher to her face that he hated everything about the violin, I had to take the hint and let him quit. He's happily playing a different instrument now.

I personally prefer instruments that allow kids to play in an ensemble setting (orchestra or band), particularly as they get into middle school and high school. My experience is that the interaction with other kids - and some friendly competition - can motivate them to practice and continue to play.

Neither of my kids started on piano. I didn't either - I started on a band instrument in middle school, and picked it up very quickly although I had not yet learned to read music. I played all the way through college.

I just wanted to respond to this quote as well as a reason why musical training is best started early.

Someone mentioned the Mozart effect, which was greatly exaggerated in the media. That said, there is solid evidence that early musical training produces measurable changes in the left hemisphere of the brain, and likely to connections to other areas of the brain (see Fujioka et. al. 2006, One year of musical training affects development of auditory cortical-evoked fields in young children.Brain 129. Another group of researchers looked at brain differences in musicians and found that anatomical changes (i.e. enlarged corpus callosum increased gray matter in auditory areas, etc.)in musician's brains were highly correlated with the age at which they began musical training and the amount of practice (see Schlaug et. al, 1995.) There are also studies about absolute pitch and early music training out there if anyone is interested.

Just thought I'd offer some research, if people are interested. It is always good to make informed decisions, I believe.

I agree about the guitar.

My D went to one of the talent search summer programs, and when we checked her in, I noticed several kids with guitars. I thought that was a great idea - a very good way to meet new people in that setting.

(said with trepidation and tongue in cheek)
... Whatever that means?

I was just saying look, there's lot's of other possible reasons he doesn't want to practice. �The divorce is a glaring red flag. �The whole child-led movement debate was really kind of out of place according to the topic �posted about a Real-life person's individual family situation. �This quiestion was about a child's current situation, not a generalized opinion poll. �I've never read an arguement here. �I hope I'm not out of line for saying this. �Val, I know I don't share your core beliefs but I still eagerly look forward to reading your posts because you always come up with single-post common-sense packed zingers. �Slightly jaded the way I like 'em. �PtP, you've always stood firmly for the child-led camp but you've always been tolerant and loving to everybody.
It's like four of you got togeather and was proselytizing a certain parenting style last night. �You were getting very silly. �I think because all the new age parenting gets accepted some places like it's the best answer, it doesn't really get discussed much anywhere, rationally anyway. �It's more like a religion that you buy 100% or you don't. �It's ok. �The people here quiestion everything, nobody's sacred cows are safe- I sincerely hope. �I was so glad Dandy spoke up because that's the kind of greatness I'm used to reading here. �

Just my whiny opinion. �Hope's it's ok to say that and we're all still friends. �I feel like I should delete this before anybody actually reads it. �Ugh.

Dear Jane Smith,�
If you want to discuss what's on you're heart please start another thread. �I'd like to thank you from all of us for sacrificing your thread for this truly important conversation about universal piano lessons. �
�� � � � � � � � � � �Sincerly,
�� � � � � � � � �La Texican Smith

P.s.
I'm usually all-for generalized parenting discussions. �I have two new kids and opinions help me think. �I'm just being morphed by all these new mommy hormones and my new mommy brain is sitting in my head sounding like Angela Lopez from tv saying something about acknowledging Jane Smith's real feelings and something about something she needs to discuss. �I'm not sure what. �My mommy brain signals aren't comming in that clearly yet. �Carry on.

La Texican,

I love you, but I have no idea what you're talking about.



Val

Good, at least you still love me. I was just trying to draw attention to if Mrs. Jane Smith wants to talk some more about her problems besides just the mozart effect- that everybody here loves her and will be glad to talk about what's going on with her son right now, maybe in a new thread.

Actually, I'm probably just out of line. I just read that there's a lot going on right now and there's an 8 yr old boy who used to like piano enough to go to several piano camps, who right now, with one parent leaving the scene, no longer wants to take piano lessons. And then I saw a lot of answers just debating the value of parents making kid's play and instrument they don't like, and the value of who choses what extra cirriculars. I just kind of thought this child's needs got lost in over-generalized advice. I shouldn't have said nothing. My thoughts aren't concrete enough to verbalize correctly. But, I said it out loud. Too late. Ha-ha. Oops.

Open mouth. Insert foot. Yuck! not again?

Val I meant stuff like this. Nothing you said was wrong or out of line, I just thought this parenting philosophy track had little to do with this family's problem. And a lot of this long thread has been devoted to random parenting philosophy rather than helping little Johnny Smith. I just now tripped over my own tongue saying I don't believe the same as your core beliefs because you're a Christian and a homeschooler, but that doesn't stop me from loving the things you say and looking forward to reading your posts because you always come up with some great common sense stuff. That's what i was trying to say, so you would know that i love you. In this case my fingers went faster than my brain and let out a mud puddle of ideas that weren't concrete yet. And yep, I said it outloud. Ah *blushing bright red*