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Startin' em young...

February 6, 2006 at 4:17 AM

I don't want to be one of "those" parents who decide that their kid is going to be some kind of genius, and starts them on violin lessons and math classes and language immersion before they can walk. So it had never been my intention to start my older daughter, Kiera, on a musical instrument until she was a little older. But since I'd started playing seriously again, she'd become so interested in the violin, asking me all kinds of questions about how it worked. She even started walking around with a cordless phone tucked under her chin and bowing it with a chopstick. So we decided to start her on Suzuki lessons two months before her third birthday (which just passed), and it's going well. I think it's important to follow our children's leads; don't push them into something they don't like or can't handle, but neither should we discourage them from something in which they show true interest.

My younger daughter Kyla, who's only ten months old, likes to sit with me and Kiera when we practice rhythms. She claps, too; not in the correct rhythm, but not quite randomly either. I think she's actually trying to imitate us. And two nights ago, Kiera was chanting and clapping "Mississippi Hot Dog", when Kyla suddenly piped up, "HAH-DAH!"

I'm not going to start Kyla on anything until she shows independent signs of interest, either, but so far it's looking like I'll have the musical family I always wanted.

Karin that is so neat! But it is so great of you to wait until THEY really want to. Too many parents shove it at their kids way to early and when its forced it ruins the beauty of it!
Karin, I agree that you should follow up on your daughter's interest while it's going strong. I love the scene of the three of you learning together. That's just the way that Dr. Suzuki would like. I'm smiling at my mental picture of your daughter playing the "violin" with a phone and a chopstick. I'm so glad you have a musical family and the opportunity to share your love of music with those you love. I wish I'd had a family like that. The closest I can come are the kids I teach and their families.
Ohhhh...that's so nice! If I get married, I hope my kids are musical, too....but I think you did the right thing, waiting until Kiera wanted to. (And what cute names!)
Indeed a heart-warming scene. I wish MY kids were more musical. They ARE musical, in that band at school is their favorite subject, but they're not like that at home. I've had to make them practice every single day since they started lessons in first grade.

I often asked myself the same questions you are. With my younger son, he'd complain bitterly about how much he hated the piano, but then in the middle of practicing, he'd say, "Listen to this! It's my favorite part!" and get really excited about what he was playing. After about fifth grade, I let them decide whether or not to take lessons, and this year, for the first time in several years, both of them are taking lessons. The younger one I still have to make practice, and the older one says, "Please make me practice," so it's not really musical, but they're both getting out of it what they want to get out of it.

When they were younger, my stance became, "You don't have a choice about whether or not to learn how to read or do math, and you don'thave a choice about learning to play music." I know so many people who wanted to play music later in life (i.e. as adults) and it's so much harder with no musical training as a child. So I made sure my boys have gotten their musical training.

And it warms my heart listening to them raving about a wonderful piece of music they're playing at school. It's good enough for me.

Good for them. They'll appreciate it so much.