Should kids be forced to take Piano lessons?

Nance - I think it's a bit like making them eat their vegetables. Many studies have shown that music lessons are incredibly beneficial for kids, not just for the music aspect. Plus it teaches them stick-to-it-ness, IMO. When I was younger I flitted around from one interest to another and was allowed to quit whenever I wanted to. To this day, I wish my parents had been more strict and made me stick with something until I actually learned it. Maybe it would have stood me in good stead in other areas of my life, where I tend to give up on things easily if it's not easy or I'm not perfect the first time.
 
>There are so many things kids have to do whether they like it
>or not, like go to school and brush their teeth. But when it
>comes to hobbies and leisure time, why not let them choose
>their interests?

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!


Allison
 
I also regret that I never played certain instruments (and I have a bachelor's degree in music!). My parents were really great and supportive of my (and my sister's) musical interests but they did occasionally have to force me to practice (I got pretty creative though and actually TAPED myself practicing. They eventually found out when they walked into my room and there I was watching television while the tape recorder played!!). I do regret making the decision to not go to German Kindergarten though. I kinda wish my parents would have forced me to do it. Being able to speak German right now would be SO helpful! :)

Carolyn
 
Hi Heather,

Just a thought. While I was looking for the next level in my DS music development I find a wonderful and fun piano program called Simply Music ( http://www.simplymusic.com/ ). I was so excited by the program that while my son is too young to start (just 6, they don't start till 7) I decided to take it myself. I am having a blast! In just eight weeks I play 7 songs using both hands. We also had a fourteen year girl in our class who had been taking piano since the first grade, and I asked her if it bother her to be starting over. She said no and her mother added that she now actually enjoys going to lessons. Like I said just a suggestion.

Linda
 
I was also sort of "forced" to take piano lessons. I did not hate them but never really enjoyed them either. At that time I swore that if I ever have kids I'll never force them to play any instruments unless they want to. Now, both of my kids are playing something and my daughter wants to take piano lessons in addition to the gitar, and that's fine. A lot depends on the teacher. I had a cranky old lady, and that didn't help at all.
 
>Nance - I think it's a bit like making them eat their
>vegetables. Many studies have shown that music lessons are
>incredibly beneficial for kids, not just for the music aspect.
> Plus it teaches them stick-to-it-ness, IMO. When I was
>younger I flitted around from one interest to another and was
>allowed to quit whenever I wanted to. To this day, I wish my
>parents had been more strict and made me stick with something
>until I actually learned it. Maybe it would have stood me in
>good stead in other areas of my life, where I tend to give up
>on things easily if it's not easy or I'm not perfect the first
>time.

I hear you Shelley. I've heard that music expands the brain and makes it easier to learn. But still, I mean if the kids hate it, that's pretty extreme. My niece and nephew both enjoy playing squash and soccer and are on several teams. They're not always in the mood to go to practice games, but they've learned that they have to go. For the most part, they enjoy the sports they play. I agree with you that kids have to learn stick-to-it-ness, but I think they should at least have some interest and enjoyment in the after school activities. Still, I'm not a parent, and would probably be an awful one if I were. :p
 
HI-

I'm a music teacher (not piano) and my question would be is it the LESSON's she hates or the practicing? Very few people LOVE practicing. As others have said it can be sort of...well...boring.

My son played trombone from 5th grade on through high school and my daughter (7th grade) has been playing Horn since 5th grade. I wanted her to play SOMETHING and gave her choices (while encouraging her to pick a less commonly played instrument). She's been taking lessons ever since.

I AM the practice Nazi at my house. I require her to practice everyday. She complains about the practice. BUT when she auditioned into our all county Band last week (a semi big deal since she's only a 7th grader and had never auditioned before) she began to see the value.

I have actually offered to let her stop lessons, since we have not purchased a horn yet (a MAJOR investment), but she says she LOVES the lessons...it's the practicing she hates.

SO......I say continue to encourage, cajole, force. But not at the expense of making everyone miserable.

Julie
 
>Nance - I think it's a bit like making them eat their
>vegetables. Many studies have shown that music lessons are
>incredibly beneficial for kids, not just for the music aspect.
> Plus it teaches them stick-to-it-ness, IMO. When I was
>younger I flitted around from one interest to another and was
>allowed to quit whenever I wanted to. To this day, I wish my
>parents had been more strict and made me stick with something
>until I actually learned it. Maybe it would have stood me in
>good stead in other areas of my life, where I tend to give up
>on things easily if it's not easy or I'm not perfect the first
>time.


This is perfectly said!

As for letting kids just pick their own 'interests,' unfortunately a lot of kids will pick watching tv or playing video games. All we have to do is look at the childhood obseity rates to see where many kids natural interests lie.
 
In my family, we had no choice. Learning music was mandatory. To tell you the truth, I hated my piano lessons at first. After about 5 years of lessons, my grandmother got too sick to teach us any longer. My mother gave us the option to continue or not. I gave up lessons for about one year, then started them again and continued up thru high school. I also picked up flute lessons at around 10 or 11 and kept with that up through college.

Looking back, some of the best memories I have growing up revolve around music. The marching band, concert band, ensembles, even playing duets on the piano with my sister (I think that's the only time we got along!!). And band camp LOL!! Looking back, the kids in the band were on-the-average better academically and less likely to be discipline problems. My parents rather liked it that I hung around the kids in the band than any other group. I was less likely to get into trouble.

As an adult, I have continued to enjoy music. I can't say that I have played piano consistently since finishing college, but since I can read music I have enjoyed many years playing in English Handbell choirs. I'm so glad my parents made me take music lessons!
 
Hi--I have 6 kids and home school as well and I have mixed feelings on this.

My mother was a very accomplished pianist and my brother and I took years of forced lessons. I always hated it, but now it's nice that I can play a Bach Invention or a Chopin waltz, if I have the time to sit and practice (yeah, right), so I'm glad she made me take the lessons.

Fast forward to my own family. It was sooooo aggrevating to sit and "fight" with the kids after having taught them all their other subjects all day long, that I finally decided it wasn't worth the stress and expense.

I spend so much time giving them a solid academic education that I simply don't have much energy for extra-curricular stuff and I tend to farm that out. Our oldest son does a variety sports year round and our daughters study tae kwon do. While I encourage them in these endeavors, I am not responsible for teaching them or overseeing grueling practices.

If one of our children seems musically inclined to the point that his/her practices could be more self-directed, I would reconsider the piano, because I think the benefits are tremendous.

We do listen to lots of classical music, because I want them to develop a taste for it when they are young. At least they will be exposed that way.

take care
Maggie:)
 
Hi, I don't have any children, but I do remember taking piano lessons as a child. I remember telling my mom that I didn't want to play the piano, that I wanted to play the guitar, and she told me that to play any instrument, the piano was a good place to start. So I took the lessons. I didn't particularly enjoy them, or the practicing, but I was proud of myself when I had learned a new piece, and I loved playing stuff I had learned. I think the problem was, and where my burnout eventually won out, was that I never got to make that move from piano to guitar. Today I never play piano (my barely 900 sq. ft. house doesn't have room for one!) but I do have a beautiful guitar sitting in a corner collecting dust that I stare at wistfully from time to time, and have no idea how to play. I am grateful that my parents made me take the piano lessons, but I wish they had let me somehow "earn" my way to taking guitar lessons, thus honoring my personal choice as well.

If your kids have the basics down as far as reading music and being able to play scales and learn musical pieces, why not give them a choice of musical instrument?

I am a teacher, and as coursework for my continuing ed., am currently reading a book on literacy and boys. The researchers/ authors emphasise at LENGTH how crucial personal choice is to boys when getting them to engage in literacy activities. (I metion this because you say you have four boys, but I can't help but think that it must be true for girls as well). Musical literacy may work in a similar vein. I like the idea posted by one person, how in her household the kids were given a task: when you can play these songs, or achieve a certain level of competancy, then you have the skills and dedication it takes to pursue something. That approach seems to achieve both aims: getting kids to stick to it, and also allowing them to have that choice.
 
Hello Again Everyone,
Just a quick note to let you know what we have decided. My boys have learned so much in the past year and I know they can learn so much more. They have just started to do some Christmas music and that has helped. Thank each and every one of you for posting. All of you had some very good points. And my boys say they don't hate playing piano, they just don't like having to practice every day. But some things take practice to get better and they are starting to really understand that principal. Thanks again and God bless.
Heather
 
Mocha - what's stopping you from picking out a great teacher and learning to play the guitar now? I took guitar lessons in the 30's and had a blast. Of course I had a really cute guitar teacher *hee hee* but I actually enjoyed the actual playing even more than looking at the teacher. I like being able to sit down and strum a tune.
 
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(can you tell I'm still traumatized?? ;) ) Although I enjoy knowing "how" to read music a little, it was definitely not worth the 6+ years of the stinking lessons.

My older sister still plays but she always enjoyed them and was always very good. I think that contributed to my pain! ;)
 
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