There tends to be a
spectrum of involvement for parents of children taking private
lessons. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” spot on this
spectrum, but usually the more involved you are, the more success
your child will have in their lessons.
When I was a kid
taking lessons, I sometimes needed reminders to practice, but I
wanted to do the practicing myself. I didn’t want anyone sitting
with me helping me! But my daughter is the opposite. Even though she
has the ability to practice on her own, she prefers me to sit with
her to help her out. And I must say, it is nice to have one-on-one
time with her!
Since you know your
child best, you will find the best place on this spectrum for you.
Younger children (4-5+ years old) need a parent on the right of the
spectrum; with older children, you can start sliding left. However,
with any child of any age, don’t just assume that they will know to
practice without reminders. If they do just practice on their own
(#unicorn!) enjoy it!
As parents, we have
a lot going on. We don’t need one more thing to do. Building practicing into your routine, however, will help it become more
automatic and less stressful. I always thought I hated cooking. But
what I actually hated was trying to figure out what to cook at 4 or 5
p.m. and having no clean dishes to work with. Once I started meal
planning each week and setting out the meat to thaw each morning, I
found that cooking was much, much easier. I just had to rearrange my
routine and planning.
If you are having
trouble remembering to have your child practice, try setting an alarm
on your phone. I set mine to 7 p.m. If I haven’t had my daughter
practice by then, we go and do it at 7. Time enough to practice but
still get ready for bed in time.
In summary, find
your best place on the “parent involvement spectrum” and continue
building practicing into your routine. Your child (someday!) and your
teacher (now!) will thank you.
“Alone, we can do
so little; together, we can do so much.” Helen Keller
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