DS doesn't like piano lessons

[Anonymous]

Here are a few options:

- Try it with a different teacher if you really want him to continue. It may be you that's the problem because you are the parent. A lot of kids don't like their parents teaching them something but will eagerly accept help from pretty much anyone else.
- Try being less formal. Ask him what songs he wants to learn, make a list, and work on that.
- Try a different method like the Suzuki method. It's just teaching by ear and you could do theory worksheets separately to help him learn to read.
- Take a break and do music theory worksheets and games. This way he is still doing music.
- Try some kind of piano teaching software geared towards kids.

I've worked with "perfectionist" kids before and when they're really young there are a lot of tears because they know they don't sound that great since they're beginners and making mistakes makes them feel even worse. Once they get to be late elementary and are playing cooler songs they are less harder on themselves. Until then, expect lots of tears, frustration, lots of "I hate piano", ect.

[Anonymous]

I've been playing for almost 40 years, since I was 6. No one ever had to tell me to practice, because the piano is my first love. My mom tried to make my sister and my brothers take lessons and they refused to practice. She realized that they were not me, and that we all had different interests, and she did not force it. In our family, only two of my children out of all of the grandchildren are musicians. One plays the flute and she spends about 40 hrs/wk practicing without being told, and the other plays metal guitar. My metal guitarist has never had a lesson. He just picked it up one day and started playing. He's 23, and can play anything he hears.

[Anonymous]

He's in kindergarten, give it a break and come back later.
The best way to get your child to hate an activity is to get to involved or push it on him. I've learned this the hard way.

I have an older son who started piano and quit then started back up when we found someone who gives group lessons. He does it with friends and loves it. I don't push the practicing or anything, the goal is for him to like it and develop a life long skill that he will be happy he has. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been playing for almost 40 years, since I was 6. No one ever had to tell me to practice, because the piano is my first love. My mom tried to make my sister and my brothers take lessons and they refused to practice. She realized that they were not me, and that we all had different interests, and she did not force it. In our family, only two of my children out of all of the grandchildren are musicians. One plays the flute and she spends about 40 hrs/wk practicing without being told, and the other plays metal guitar. My metal guitarist has never had a lesson. He just picked it up one day and started playing. He's 23, and can play anything he hears.

I do think there are lots of kids being pushed to take music lessons and practice etc to their detriment. However, if we only give music lessons to those who practice willingly, we probably will miss many musicians. I think there is a balance in everything. Kids need some structure and need to do somethings they don't necessarily want to do on their own. That is how anyone can learn, really.

[Anonymous]

I'd back off a bit. I tried teaching my own kids at that age, with only moderate success, so I didn't push it. After they started instrumental music at school in 4th grade (each picking their own instrument), they became more interested. Now one of them, at 11, is going back to the old beginner piano books and is really into them. Plus, it's going a lot faster with a kid who knows more about music and has greater manual dexterity!

I also agree that trying a teacher from outside your family might help. One of my kids does way better learning from other adults than from a parent.