piano24:

I think my son does not like classical music so much as well, seems he is more interested in the popular songs , Jazz or something which is loud, :lol:

piano24:

I heard that some kids passed their piano exam and then never touched the piano again, I can imagine they should not really enjoyed the playing, but if you love it so much before, it is really hard to totally imagine the hardship of the last mile.

phankao:

I personally did not like classical music and lessons were a drudgery, but I managed to finish g8, not bc my parents forced me to, but bc it was expected of me somehow, that was what I felt. I did quite ok. I continued to tinker with the piano off & on in church choir and playing for church, but never quite practising again, except to play for fun.

After the kids were born, I didn't get to touch the piano much, until my kids asked to learn music themselves. Thankfully, even after not playing seriously for a good 6 or 7 years, I managed to pick it up quite easily - like how you can't forget how to ride a bike. I've mostly forgotten how to play the guitar which I used to perform alot on in my younger days though.

Interestingly, 2 of our kids seem to do well in music.

Blobbi:

piano24, I'm not sure if I'm reading you correctly - you're concerned about your son's perseverance and discipline in the face of difficulty, and you'd like to look for a way to foster this attitude?

If this is what you're asking, then I think it's what all parents would love to inculcate! Playing a musical instrument is one way of fostering this attitude, although it's not the only way. If you're sure you want him to learn about perseverance through piano playing, based on what you've written, be prepared for a long drawn battle. But so long as you've got your plans drawn and you're prepared to dig in (I think quite a few parents here have advised that slowing down may actually re-ignite interest), it may just work.

Otherwise, you may want to switch tactics (or even work concurrently) with something else that your son likes. For eg, if he likes building Lego - you can dig out complicated projects and encourage him to complete, or go for robotics classes etc.

Either way, he will need lots of encouragement (sounds like you're doing a great job on this btw).

I'm one of those who took my grade 8 exam and never played a single note again if I could help it. There were years when I loved it a lot, but the last mile became too much of a slog, and when it came with coercion, my need to rebel took over :roll:.

Blobbi:

Either way, he will need lots of encouragement (sounds like you're doing a great job on this btw).

I'm one of those who took my grade 8 exam and never played a single note again if I could help it. There were years when I loved it a lot, but the last mile became too much of a slog, and when it came with coercion, my need to rebel took over :roll:.

piano24:

Yes, he likes to hear the music, I am not sure if he does not like to play piano or just because the piece is hard for him and he would like to walk away, need more time to find out. And I tried to inspire him a little bit more to motivate him, since I did not play any instrument, so really a headache there.

deminc:

piano24:

I do not even think about the exam, and he is with the slow progress for quite a while already, he is still interested in music, but all those bonus like discipline and persistent , that are hard to him.

I agree there is no much motivation has been inspired, and he is the only one who plays piano at home now, which is so unfair to him , what are the good ways to inspire it though, it is just not easy for the parents who do not play the instruments.

My parents didn't play the instrument either, but they sent both my sister and I for lessons and imposed daily practices. I loved it, my sister hated it. I can't say why, except that when I play the piano, it takes me to another world and I will forget everything around me. For me practicing was never a chore and I can spend one hour just on doing scales. On the other hand, my sister hated every minute of it. Till today she has phobia of the piano, but she definitely still very much like listening to music, including classical music.

So maybe your son likes to listen to music? Doesn't mean he likes the piano. It takes time to find out.

piano24:

I do not even think about the exam, and he is with the slow progress for quite a while already, he is still interested in music, but all those bonus like discipline and persistent , that are hard to him.

I agree there is no much motivation has been inspired, and he is the only one who plays piano at home now, which is so unfair to him , what are the good ways to inspire it though, it is just not easy for the parents who do not play the instruments.

adhdadhd:

Boys look upon their father as role model..

Donkey Kong:

I play the piano plus few others, but my kid doesn't like at all. So I pick up wrong baby at KK? :? I like to read my kid doesn't.


I quit halfway and continue learning without taking exams. I find piano exams are stressful and of no use to me becoz I never wish to be music teacher. Just play for fun, like kids playing XBox or PSP.

adhdadhd:

Children's motivation to learn need to be inspired by a role model. If parents are playing piano, the kids will be more inspired, right? Boys look upon their father as role model..


Music instruments, and the melody they produced, are inspirational and a possible vents of stress, anxiety, anguish, emotions .. we've been teenagers before, and we know by and large, music, dance and songs, movies had helped us coped with life, effectively abated our sufferings (of studies, love life etc) in various stage of life.

You want a kid to bring you more $, or you want a kid to be happy? is your choice of course.

sakura_2009:

adhdadhd:

Congratulation!
You may want to inspire by asking him to skip grade, got straight to Grade 3. We done that together with the piano teacher, and my DS was motivated.
But now, he is slowing down, barely touched piano, we also decided to go along with him, as he cope with a sudden jump of study stress in P5.. Piano teacher also agree to slow down, but focus on figuring techniques.

:thankyou: adhdadhd. For the skipping of grades, I will let the piano teacher decide if DS can do it. If the teacher feels that he is competent enough to skip grades, by all means. If not, I will just let DS continue in his own pace. I would rather he continue to 'enjoy' his lessons, rather than make him feel that learning piano is just like another academic subject....

EstherTan:

orchids:

My tuner said his son (alrdy got his piano diploma) hardly got time to play on the piano as he is now very busy as a medical student. This makes me wonder if it's worth the effort when ultimately the skill is not put to good use.

Perhaps it's not so much of a music career, but the other aspects of learning piano playing that your child might unconsciously (or consciously?) using. Things like psycho moto coordination skills (reading music scores and translating it into finger movements), taking it one step further when it involves legs (stepping of pedals).

The inherent 'discipline' needed for music making is transferable to every learning situation. No other form of discipline can better prepare the mind and spirit for the challenges of studies and life.

The benefits of learning music is not something that exists in the form of direct returns

orchids:

My tuner said his son (alrdy got his piano diploma) hardly got time to play on the piano as he is now very busy as a medical student. This makes me wonder if it's worth the effort when ultimately the skill is not put to good use.

shirley.tamzil:

My DS is 9 too, interest in his piano is also dwindling, not sure if it has to do with the fact that school work starts to pile up from lower pri to higher pri, or they are growing up and startinng to have their own minds now. I don't really push him for his piano and have also pass on my 'low' expectations to his piano teacher. I think for a child to learn music, it's more for their enjoyment and an alternative for them to de-stress in future if they enjoy it.

sakura_2009:

Wow! I know of many kids who actually stop learning piano at around 11 or 12 due to heavy study workload and preparation for PSLE etc, and yet your DD wanted to continue on her own and even achieved grade 8... I think that's really a great achievement :celebrate: