Convincing your kids to actually play their instrument is no easy feat. All too often, the guitar or violin collects dust as the child in question opts to play with their Nintendo Switch or iPad instead. The world is full of flashy distractions that can stop your children from sitting down and practicing like they promised they would. Unfortunately, when it comes to music, practice really does make perfect, and it’s the only way your children will ever get good at their instrument.
According to some experts, individuals who are considered professionals in their trade have dedicated over 10,000 hours to their hobby. This lump sum can be a daunting number to overcome at any age, but for someone under 10 it can be too large to comprehend. It’s important that you breakdown their practice into smaller goals so they can have a better grasp of their task.
Dividing their week into practice days and free days is a good way to start. Some people will advise they devote at least 30 minutes on these days, but the exact number isn’t as important as the intent. Your child should be focused and deliberate when they pick up the guitar or piano.
In this case quality over quantity is another good rule of thumb when it comes to your children’s practice. Instead of giving them just a target of 30 minutes, help them choose a goal for the day or the week in general, like learning so many bars of a new song or playing through their brown book of scales without any mistakes. These tasks will help them better understand their own progress as well, as they’ll be able to look back on the tangible results of learning a song or scale.
These methods work best when they’re supported by specific adults in their life. Of course, that means you and your partner should be engaged by their practice as much as they are. Make it a part of your lives by encouraging them to practice in common areas and ask about their progress.
Enrolling them in music lessons is another great way to keep them on the right track. Their music instructor should know how to tailor their lessons to your child. Whether through games or other age-appropriate tips, a qualified music teacher has ways of inspiring young students. If you live in Canada and are wondering where to find such an instructor, speak with a representative from a Long & McQuade. They’ve made it incredibly easy to enroll, as all you have to do is head over to Long-mcquade.com/lessons/ . All of the lessons offered there are taught by vetted professionals who can help any student, regardless of their age, and they can accommodate a variety of learning styles for multiple goals.
An experienced instructor will also give you tips to use at home in order to keep them motivated. Because let’s face it: the instruments you bought your kids were expensive; it would be a shame to see them go to waste. You need all the help you can get to make sure they keep to them and learn something along the way.