Give a Dog a Bone?

May 13, 2008 at 1:52 PM

A couple of months ago my daughter handed me an American Girl "wish list:" Clothes and accessories for her favorite doll, Nellie. Expensive clothes and accessories. I tell her if she practices violin for 30 days she can get something from the wish list. She also has to write it down in her practice log so we can verify she actually did it. After a 2-day burst of enthusiasm, we poke along and take another month to get to day 10. She remembers and mentions the wish list. I mention that we are on day 10. We poke along some more.

Johnson String Instrument then sends the catalog for their spring sale. My daughter needs a new violin, because she has outgrown the 1/2 size VSO she is currently playing. She sees the catalog and is interested. I point out that we are now on day 12. Why would we buy another violin if she isn't playing the one she has? It's too small, mom. True, and what about the American Girl accessories? There's a clear path forward toward both of those goals and she knows what it is. Hmm.

A few days later she says that someone from each instrument in the 3rd grade--a violin, a viola, and a cello--are going to be chosen to play a solo for the spring assembly in school. She wants to be chosen for the violin. Really? (She has always hated solos in the past, but I don't remind her of this). Yes. Okay. Well. There's a clear path forward toward all of those goals and . . .

The whole past week we haven't missed a day. This morning we are really getting into Frere Jacques and This Old Man. This Old Man is used by EE2000 to introduce the G string, the Grandpa string.

She's not getting lost in the round anymore when I come in. Either she can start or I can start, and she comes in correctly. She has decided that Frere Jacques what she wants to play for the solo, if she's chosen. I remind her that there are many kids who want to be chosen, and say that it's enough if she deserves it. It will be hard for the teacher to pick among everyone who deserves to play, but everyone who gets to that level can be proud of themselves. And she is getting closer to deserving it now that she can hear when her two is too low and correct it, or just put it down correctly in the first place.

We talk about the left hand and the right hand. She does some string crossing exercises that I suggest: D-G-D-G-D-G. This Old Man used to be on life support in a Nursing Home. The next day he got out of bed and was Rolling Home in his wheelchair. The next day he managed to use a walker to shuffle down the hallway. And now this morning This Old Man is sort of doing something that sounds like a knick-knack patty-whack. Maybe.

And there's that new violin and American Girl accessories too.

From al ku
Posted on May 13, 2008 at 3:30 PM

great!

From Terez Mertes
Posted on May 13, 2008 at 3:48 PM

>I tell her if she practices violin for 30 days she can get something from the wish list.

Oh, so very smart. Need to do this with my 9 yr old. (Well, except that he doesn't play the violin so it's going to be something else, obviously. Or, I can really mess with him and say it needs to be the violin!)

From Theresa Martin
Posted on May 13, 2008 at 7:39 PM

Oh my! This is sooooo amusing, and SO real life with kids. You sound like a really great parent!

From Drew Lecher
Posted on May 14, 2008 at 5:51 AM

Karen,

You're great and I hope your little girl has the opportunity to play, but if not, maybe she can make someone very happy in the hospital or care center with a performance — on her new violin and accompanied by her beautiful doll:-)

Cheers,
Drew

From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted on May 14, 2008 at 10:27 AM

Thanks! We haven't bought the violin or the doll accessories yet. We're only on day 20. Ten more to go!

When I was in 5th grade the orch conductor at our school took a few of us, a string quartet's worth, to a senior citizen center where we played a short piece, called "Exalted Chorus" by Haydn. It must have been a simple arrangement, and I can't find it on YouTube or anywhere. I remember a few notes from the 2nd violin part that I played, but that's about it. It was really fun. She'd probably like to do something like that as well.

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Give a Dog a Bone?

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