Instrument Practice and Your Tween

Source: Tween Parent Staff

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There can be great value in learning to play a musical instrument. The disciplined approach can carry over into other aspects of responsibility and the accomplishment that comes with improvement can be very rewarding. But that's adult speak! The big challenge faced by parents is how to inspire their tween to value the joy that playing an instrument can offer...and, probably, how to get them to commit to practicing! The tween years are the years that the majority of kids who start playing an instrument begin their journey. With a wide range in personalities and degrees of perserverance, the parents of kids who need to be "nagged" have to decide how far they want to push their kids to make practice a part of their routine.

In reality, some parents who have children that resist practicing their instrument choose not to make it a priority, hoping instead that their child will reap a music appreciation benefit and hopefully become inspired without their intervention. Some parents firmly believe the adage, "practice makes perfect" and establish a disciplined approach to practicing. Of course, music teachers strongly believe in the need for regular practice!

If you're a parent looking to motivate your pre-teen to a more focused practice plan, here are some tips that could help:

• Speak with your child's instructor to get a sense of what their expectations are. Be sure to share your understanding of your child's habits and come to an agreement based upon what makes sense for your family.
• If possible, set aside a specific place for your child to practice, making it visible and inviting. Let your tween work with you to make it attractive. Having the musical instrument out in the open will ensure that it remains top-of-mind and practice can begin without the process of setting it up each time.
• For families that thrive in structure, encourage practice times to go along with other daily routines. That could mean that practice becomes an extension of homework or just before media time, etc.
• Create family recital opportunities to reinforce the benefit associated with regular practice.
• While it's important not to seem insincere, find opportunities to reinforce the effort through thoughtful, positive feedback. Be selective though, so it won't lose its impact.
• If your pre-teen is reward-oriented, to encourage regular practice, consider setting up an incentive chart. Determine an appropriate treat (material or experiential) and, working with your child, set a goal and a plan to achieve it.
• Stop what you're doing and listen (really listen) to your child practice. It will illustrate to him/her that you're interested in their pursuits.
• Find family movies that are inspirational and relate with a music theme, like Mr. Holland's Opus! Play music in your home that includes others playing the instrument that your tween is learning.