Recently I heard two real life stories from parents that confirmed my belief that over-practice and trying to get things perfect will destroy children’s natural talents.
The stories go like this (characters and contents have been modified): a flutist parent tried to groom the child who is equally interested in the instrument. Fights and arguments started to grow at home because the parent practised with the child with much stress. In the end the child threw the flute away and never touched it again.
Another parent who used to be a cello performer let the child plays whatever instrument and never set any expectations. The parent does not want to repeat the same mistake his own mother (who is also a musician) did when he was young, as he never touched his cello again after becoming an adult.
Both children turned to piano and have progressed in an amazing speed because they are naturally talented in music. Noticing their sensitivity to stress (especially towards their own performance) I am more inclined to let them relax and play songs they like. And naturally, they all are able to reach the next level without too much of a forceful push.
If we want to make music learning sustainable, all we need to do is to create a musical environment and the child will grow naturally with appropriate guidance and by keeping a healthy routine (one class per week with the right amount of practice only at certain levels). Also, try to make the learning fun as musical concepts can be very dry even to adults!
Comments