When do your music loving, school going DCs do their daily practice?

[lovinbeingmum]

So I have a 4 year old who loves playing his piano ( the little things we play that is). For the past few months, since he started, he used to play after dinner before he went for his bath.

However as the pieces are getting more intricate he seems too tired to learn/pick them up and play at that time of the day. So he gets to the piano all excited but then gets frustrated.

So when do your children fit in their practice? Perhaps I could encourage him to change his time.

FYI, I have been 'blessed' with quite a headstrong little boy. He will keep playing and keep getting frustrated. I just want to minimise the frustration.

[Ferguson]

If you can manage to fit other things in around it, try what our DS often used to do and play in the morning, BEFORE going to school. But he would often just play for pleasure in the evening as well, and also did recorder group at school.

[What books is he playing from, and has he started scales/exercises yet?]

[Wafflenose]

My 10 year old does one instrument before school, and is meant to do the other while I'm cooking dinner, or after dinner. However, other activities mean that this sometimes doesn't happen.

The little one plays two instruments as well, but hardly ever practises. She really needs a bit of help to do so, and I've been a bit busy recently. So I will suggest it this weekend!

[Scaredofthepianoexaminer]

DD11 - before school (luckily she is a morning person and is always up ready for action at 6ish - and nearest neighbours are elderly/hard of hearing!!) - at school (her timetable is altered to accommodate this) - and sometimes after school although a couple of times a week she has a lesson or ensemble that takes up after school time.

When she was little - she didn't start playing til she was 6 though - she always played before school. She was just too tired afterwards and it wouldn't have gone well!

[lovinbeingmum]

Thanks all! Guess we need to try and change morning routine. It does make the most sense.

[BreakfastAtSquiffanys]

You might want to read recent thread which suggested that piano before 8am was anti social...

[Greenleave]

We used to have a yamaha digital and it goes silent if you put the headphone on. We now have a silent yamaha acoustic and 2 people can listen to it in silence at the same time. Unfortunately my daughter isn't an early riser, we never have any spare time in the morning so it isn't used as much. We are focusing on violin right now so piano practising has rarely been happening. However in the past it only happens when I am sitting next to her and it means only after 7.30. She is 8.5 yrs old though so twice as older as your son. I personally think it's too early for 4 yrs old for a routine practise. It's so much easier after 5.5

[Greenleave]

7.30pm in the evening as I got home around 7 then have to put the baby sister to bed. I remember when my daughter was less than 6 yrs old she needed her bedtime at 7.30 so we started piano as early as your son age however practising rarely happened

[Radiodependent]

We tried morning with ds but he is just not a morning person! He practices his string instrument about 6pm or later and his recorder (which he plays less seriously) briefly just before bed. We didn't do anything regular till age 5.5/6 though, he just did a music kindergarten.

[Lunar1]

Before school, but we are detached so no neighbours to annoy! Headphones are a good idea if it's an antisocial time.

[lovinbeingmum]

Morning does seem better. Way more patience.

Plus am discussing some sort of structure with him - so we have one day of scales, one day of exercises, one day of songs etc etc.

Did I mention he is V headstrong :/. I'm hoping that having the routine on paper will avoid 'debates'.

[Mistigri]

You can also adust the practice content depending on the time of day and how tired/enthusiastic/cooperative he is.

I think at his age, any playing at all is positive. So after school, stick to fun, easy things he can play easily - make after-school piano a fun time. Encourage him to improvise, to pick out tunes, maybe play some very simple duets. Play something yourself and get him to sing along. It's all valuable and it will encourage him to think of music as fun and relaxing.

Keep the harder stuff for weekends and maybe one or two mornings a week if you really have to. There is no hurry!

[Mistigri]

PS DD is much older and gets home late, so week day music is often just playing her guitar for fun (and quite often I have to make her stop because her younger brother is going to bed). She does the serious practice at weekends and on the one weekday she has a lighter timetable.

[ealingwestmum]

Before senior school it used to be 7.30am to 8am. Was ok due to a deaf, elderly neighbour one side and a club fiddler that used to roll in drunk get in at 5am with his band. Thinking he was still at his gig. Only kicked off by banging on the walls once when he was severely hung over

Now she leaves at 6am most mornings she grabs a music room when she can in breaks, or plays practices properly at weekends. No evenings available. We are trying to make the less is more work!

Weirdly in our part of London, it's not unusual to hear instruments played before 8am...

[Wafflenose]

New general music thread, for anyone who would like to join:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/2645228-May-June-Music-and-Musicians-Thread

[drummersmum]

Morning was never an option for us. Terraced house and we're merely human before 730am.
When DS was 4 it was the easy life and I miss it like hell He practiced when he came home from primary school after having a little snack and also on weekends. There was so much time for everything then...!
Secondary school is another thing altogether. Like ealingwest's DD, he grabs a school practice room whenever he can. Plus he practices at home after homework or revision, yesterday that meant 8pm to 9pm. If he can, he puts in two good hours both Sat and Sun.