For Parents - A Word About Practice

Enrolling your child in music lessons represents a commitment that goes beyond making sure they attend their lessons and group classes. Every child can succeed in music when practice is a family endeavor and parents employ age-appropriate motivation. Seeing/hearing thier progress and receiving recognition of their accomplishments gets kids excited about music and their lessons. Enjoyment comes from accomplishment, which comes from regular structured practice.

Young students cannot be responsible for their own practice until well into their high school years. Many young students don’t initially like to practice.  Mastery can seem impossibly far out of reach and it can be difficult to know how to proceed. Your child will need help identifying manageable goals for each practice session and adhering to a practice schedule. The journey to learning a new skill or piece of music is made up of many small steps. Therefore, parents are instrumental in creating and monitoring a culture of practice at home that allows the student to experience the daily small victories that lead to mastery.

Thankfully, parents are not in it alone. Our teachers are here to help. Other parents in your child’s studio can be wonderful resources. There are also many online and print resources available to parents. A small sample are linked below. Being an active, encouraging participant in your child’s musical journey will give them life-skills that transcend music-making, build confidence and resilience, and prepare them to tackle all of life’s challenges.