I don't know why I do this to myself, but the wailing and gnashing of teeth is about to begin anew in our house.
We are heading out to piano lessons.
My daughters are both extremely musical. My oldest daughter wins the piano festivals almost every year, and she reads music very well. She's a natural. She doesn't have a great ear for playing things without music, but we're working on that.
My younger daughter, however, has been able to sit down at a piano since she was five and pick songs out. She regularly sits down and within a few minutes can figure out both hands to contemporary songs. She's wonderful.
But she absolutely hates the regular piano lessons where you have to--GASP!--actually count, and read the notes that are written, as opposed to putting in your own notes which you know sound better.
The girls take two lessons a week: one traditional one, and one with a friend of mine who teaches them to play by chord sheet. Katie (my youngest) likes the chord music. It's the tarditional stuff she can't stand.
And whenever she has to practice, she cries and cries. It drives me around the bend!
I know many parents would just give up, but I see this as important for two reasons: one day, she is going to be a great musician. But she will still have to be able to read music, and she has to be able to count so other musicians can play with her. She can't be all over the place!
And I also think it's a positive thing to have to work at something, and do something that doesn't come as naturally. If all we ever do is what is easy for us, we never get stretched.
The chord music thing is a stretch for my older daughter, but she doesn't complain, and she does it willingly. But my younger daughter can pout and tear up as if I'm torturing her. It drives me batty, and here we are, about to embark on it again for the year.
I'm either crazy or a good mother. I just can't decide which it is right now!
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Labels: mothering |
Stumble It!
That means you're a good mom!
Your girls will never regret playing an instrument.
I sure regret that I can't.
Good point on the fact that they'll appreciate something that is worth working for.
My nephew... oddly enough ... was gifted at Saxophone. Even after his music teacher moved on to another state... he sent nephew a card at Christmastime encouraging him to continue, saying "You have a natural gift for the instrument. I hope you keep at it."
My nephew quit altogether after that! So strange! Though, looking back - he quit anything that he seemed to be really good at. As if he didn't want to excel. Weird.