Do you pay for music lessons? If so, how enthusiastically do yor dc practice?

[BendyBob]

I am paying for both dc in junior school (yr4) to learn an instrument.

They like the lessons well enough, seem to keep up with whatever the teacher wants, and once in a while there's (quite a basic) little concert which they do. All nice.

But I hardly ever see them practice. If I mention it they have a bit of a go, but I'm wondering what the point of this is really. It's money we could spend elsewhere, and yet they seem to enjoy the little they do.

I don't think we're heading for a career in the Royal Philharmonic (that's ok btw!) and I doubt this will go beyond junior school. But would it be mean to pull the plug or do others have similar fairly low key expectations but do it anyway?

I'm dithering about what to do. At the moment it's just joining my list of 'stuff' to nag about along with do your homework, put your shoes away, tidy your room blah blah

I don't mind funding an interest, even a short lived one if it was done with some passion maybe, but this just jogs along going no-where..

I'm wondering if the demands of learning an instrument at first are so basic that there actually isn't much to actually practice. I'm not at all musical so wouldn't know

I think a lot depends on the child's concentration span. My son would find hard to substain concentration for half an hour. It would be like flogging a dead horse.

Little and often works for him.

I have a DS (Yr3) who has been learning piano for two years. He talks about wanting to do his Grade 1, mainly because there is another boy who has sat his Grade 1 in his class, but I think he should just be able to enjoy playing music and take pleasure from it without it having to have a 'purpose', iyswim? Sometimes he is happy to practice, sometimes he isn't. Some weeks we practice every day for 20-30 mins, other weeks we have no practice at all - it just depends what else is going on.

I would say if your child enjoys it, carry on. If not, drop the lessons. It shouldn't be yet another box to tick, that just zaps any pleasure out of it.

Thanks so much again for all your helpful comments and suggestions. I had chat with them yesterday and we are all re-enthused so fingers crossed

Good grief roisin, how old is your dc? That's one heck of an undertaking for children!

When I was learning the violin my mum made me a star chart - I got a coloured star for every time I practised, and a gold star if I practised every day in a week (or maybe 6 days - can't remember). Don't think I got any other reward - I just liked having a colourful chart! I practised when I was young because I enjoyed it, because of the chart, and because my parents were so positive about it; I then went through a period around age ten when I didn't, and got my comeuppance when I didn't do as well in grade 4 as in 1-3, as I'd been playing less often. That was enough to spur me on! Can they join a group? I found (as did most of my musician friends) that wanting to be better than your peers can be a motivational factor - as long as it's not taken too far because of course you'll always find someone better than you!

it's supposed to be fun.

DD has done piano for 3 years. She LOVES her teacher and always wants to go to the lessons but barely ever practices. I want her to give up!

DD has been doing cornet for 2+ years. He really seems to enjoy it and practises quite happily most days. Sadly he is not naturally musical

[MrsSatsuma - he's 12, not primary any more. I only posted in here, cos I know Hula and knew she knew how old ds is. The school is just a state school, but they have a growing reputation for singing and choral music, a superb head of music, and this is the auditioned choir - aged 11-16. It's still an ambitious undertaking for them though!]