This was an exciting year for me.   After over 20 years of teaching music,  I started to teach my son the piano.  At first he was so eager to learn! He would ask me “Dad,  can we have a piano lesson?”   Even when he just had one earlier that day.  But after a few months his enthusiasm started to fade and I experienced what so many of my parents have:

“Are you ready for lessons Asher?”

"I don’t want to learn piano anymore”

Start a YouTube channel of Your Child's Repertoire.

Sometimes recording an accomplishment can bolster a child’s self confidence.  And seeing a timeline of their steady progress over the months and years can add an appreciation for what their hard work is doing. Especially when the comments and praise come in from grandma and grandpa!  This adds a level of meaning to their practice and a record of their accomplishments that they can look back on with pride.   check out this channel as an example.

Organize a performance.

If your circumstances allow organize, a performance for friends and family.   This will give your child a goal to reach for and a reason to practice.   Sometimes getting immediate feedback from friends and family helps a child to see that music can be bigger than oneself.   Of course,  Showcase Academy offers opportunities for performances at various times in the year

Practice After Something.

Sometimes,   students realize the value of lessons but it’s easy to forget to practice.  Especially with a busy routine.  One of the most effective ways to establish a routine is to schedule practice sessions after an event that happens everyday.

• After school
• After lunch
• After a favorite show
• After dinner
• After homework

Have Progressive Practice Sessions.

Recently I saw Carl Peterssons’ video on the importance of a practice plan.   And it’s a must see for every parent and student.

Your child needs a why.   When they ask “why do I have to practice?”   They aren’t just being difficult,   they are being sincerely curious.  Why do they have to practice?  The answer to that question doesn’t have to be a big picture one.  It can simply be: “you need to get your d major scale to 120 bpm”,  or “you need to memorize your exam pieces”.   Following the Goal - Tactics - Verification   framework can help your child see daily improvements to their abilities.   And if they see daily improvements,  there’s a reason to keep at it.

Use 'Now That' Rewards

Some parents use incentives to help their child to keep up a good practice routine.   "if you practice for 30 minutes we will have some ice cream after."   This has been shown to produce good short term effects,   but isn't as useful in cultivating a long term enthusiasm for practice.   We can help create more intrinsic motivation by rewarding behaviour after it's complete. "Daniel, you did a great job practicing today, have some ice cream!" This has been shown to foster greater long-term commitment. For more information on 'now that' rewards, check out chapter two of Daniel Pink's book Drive.

Have a Trial Practice Session with a Coach.

An appointment with someone who will help you overcome any difficulties you may be having,  and guide your practice can have a astounding effect on a students view of practice.   Of course with piano practice coach,   that's exactly what we do.   But it can also be very effective when parents sit in on their child's practice sessions and give encouraging feedback.     Having a little extra help with practice sessions will not just keep the routine alive,  but will also ensure your child is practicing optimally.  But if you feel you could use some help with this feel free to book a complimentary practice session with a coach.

It’s been a joy to work with parents who are giving their children a rich educational environment to grow and learn.   Hopefully some of these suggestions help your child to develop a productive and happy practice routine.