Practice Tips for Parents

Lesson Tips

Oct 18

One of the most common concerns I hear from parents and guardians is this one:

“My child won’t practice.”

And I totally get it - it’s super frustrating. You’re investing so much to get them to their lessons, but for the rest of the week all they want to do is other things. Here are a few ideas that I have learned through my years of teaching that will help you to build a strong practice routine at home.

Encouragement from you: it is extremely rare for students of any age to want to practice on their own. Some students will be super excited and play their hearts out for the first month, especially if they are new to lessons, but when there is screen time (or another activity that they love) right around the corner most students will not voluntarily sit down at the piano and practice. You will need to ask them to do it, and for students under the age of 8 this may also mean actually sitting with them and helping them with what they’re working on.
Routine: add practice time into your weekday routine just like homework. Whether your practice goal is 2, 3, 5 days a week, making it a part of your regular routine will help make sure that students are getting used to practicing as a regular part of their day. Progress happens between your lessons, not in them.
A rewards system: this can go right along with your routine! If there are things that your child gets to do at the end of the day or after they’ve accomplished a task like homework, apply it to their practicing too. Every household has different reward systems to encourage certain behaviours or habits, and music practicing can fit into this sort of system as well.
Their interest will ebb and flow: and it’s totally natural! Just like your interest in activities rises and falls, so will theirs. This is where your encouragement and their established routine will help carry them through the downs. During the times they are less interested or more reluctant, keep in mind the long term benefits of their lessons as well as the progress they have made since they began - the ups are worth the downs.
Give them positive feedback: is that song they’ve been working on for a couple of weeks sounding awesome? Let them know! Pay attention to the different things that they are working on and engage with them. We all love to be told that we are doing a great job! Giving them positive feedback often and genuinely will help build up their confidence, and this way you can also celebrate their accomplishments together.

Some extra ideas that have also be helpful for students and families:

A designated practice space: with pianos we often don’t have much of a choice of where they are placed, but for those of you with keyboards you have a bit of freedom in regards to placement. For some students, having the keyboard in an easily accessible and relatively quiet space is ideal. For some, having it in an open family space is a great way for them to share and engage with you while they play (since pianos are often in common spaces this is a lovely benefit). As with establishing a strong practice routine, I highly recommend having a constant, designated practice space.
For singers, the same ideas apply! For some singers, privacy is needed for them to feel comfortable singing. For other young singers, singing is best done at the kitchen table or counter with the resources that they need right at their fingertips and guardians around who can help them with any technology that they may be using to work on their songs.
Tangible goals: events such as Royal Conservatory of Music exams, local performance festivals, and local auditions can be fantastic ways to keep music students motivated and engaged. If you are interested in the RCM Curriculum and Exams or would like to perform in local festivals, let me know so that we can prepare for them together! I’ve also had students share their music on YouTube channels, pick songs that are maybe at this time beyond their level but they would like to work towards, songs from movies or video games - there are so many ways to help students keep looking forward. Every student is different, and together as a team we can make sure they are working on and towards things that they enjoy!

Music lessons are not for the faint of heart. It’s an activity that permeates your lifestyle and regularly engages with the routine of your household. Music lessons also build an incredible skill set that will continue to bring students joy and accomplishment throughout the rest of their lives.

[The amount of times I hear from adults how disappointed they are that they gave up music lessons when they were younger tells me that these lessons affect students longer than we realize, and it’s always fun to see adults regaining that joy and sense of accomplishment when they return to them later in life.]

As always, let me know if you have any questions - or methods of encouraging your children to practice that have worked for you! I hope you have a wonderful week and I will see you soon.

All the best,

Arianna

Arianna teaches voice and piano lessons online and from her at-home studio in Maple Ridge, BC. She creates a welcoming learning environment for students of all ages – kids, teens, and adults.