I Wish I Hadn’t Quit Music Lessons

Parents are always so worried that if they make their child stick with music lessons they’ll end up hating music.

Yet most adults tell me they wish they hadn’t quit taking music lessons.

Doesn’t make sense, does it?

Would you believe that I wanted to quit taking piano lessons in high school?  I never had time to practice, I was tired of going to lessons, I had lots of other things I’d rather be doing. . . . but my mom wouldn’t let me.

Fast forward a few years, and  now my own child is telling me that they don’t want to go to music anymore.  (Notice the absence of gender . . . trying not to single him out. . . oops!)  I see him in class – he enjoys himself but he doesn’t like to practice – and doesn’t practice much (like not at all).  But, I value music education – it ranks right up there with everything else at school.

I don’t let him quit.

Steven, age 3 (he’s almost 11 now!!!)

Now, he’s playing all the time, and has reached that point where he is aware of how much he really knows about music.  He can tell when instruments (and people!) are out of tune.  He can remember how a song goes after hearing it only once. He plays the piano in every talent show at school.  He’s a wonderful musician.

So often, I think children say they don’t want to do something because they’re unsure and scared.  They may not think they sing or play well, and they’re looking to you to reassure them.  If you let them quit, you’re reinforcing this feeling they have – that they’re not any good at music.

Instead, tell them how much you love to hear them play and sing.  Tell them that music is a wonderful language that you wish you spoke as well as they do.  Tell them that music feeds your soul and is something that will be part of you for the rest of your life.  Don’t give up.

They’ll thank you for it!