Why doesn't my child want to practice?

Why doesn't your child want to practice? I will list some possible reasons, but let's first realize that practicing piano is not the same thing as playing the piano. Practicing involves doing new things slowly and reviewing old things repeatedly. It can be compared to doing homework or going to the gym. Some people enjoy homework and working out, and some people enjoy practicing piano. For most of us, though, these are tasks we make ourselves complete in order to get the results we want (or that our parents demand). Before I make you lose all hope, I promise to share some ways to make practicing more fun. We can't take the work element out of it completely, but we can lose the cloud-of-doom aspect with a bit of strategy.

Let's start by trouble-shooting for problems. Are any of these issues getting in the way?

• Your child does not have a tuned instrument to use.
• Your child forgets to practice.
• Other family members complain that they can't hear the TV during practice.
• Piano practicing is the last thing on the to-do list.
• Any and all sports are more important than practicing piano.
• You don't think you are qualified to help your child practice.
• The piano books are still out in the car.
• There is no set piano practice time each day.
• The pianist would rather play his old favorites than his new assignment.
• Mom and Dad leave it completely to the child to remember to practice.
• Wait. I'm supposed to know if my child practices?

Do any of these ring true for you? It's okay. We're all just humans here. Don't despair, because there is hope. I've observed many families' methods over the years, and I can share the secrets of the most successful practicers with you.

• Ask to see your child's assignment book and look at the week's assignment.
• Say things like, "Will you play your new piece for me again? I really think it's starting to sound good."
• Practice smart instead of practicing hard. Focus on the items assigned for a little while each day. Don't skip the hard stuff, but don't spend a long time trying to perfect a tricky passage in one sitting either.
• Keep a pencil on the piano. Circle, jot, and cross-out freely. There are no points for keeping your music pristine. Use a pencil instead of a pen, and try to avoid writing so many notes and reminders that you look at those all the time instead of your actual music.
• Sit with your child for at least a few minutes during practice. You don't have to know anything about music. Just be interested.
• ALWAYS be positive. NEVER fight about piano practice.
• Cramming for your piano lesson by skipping six days of practice and doing an extra long session the day before the lesson is like trying to lose five pounds in one day. (And I've tried that.) Spread your practice time out. Do many short sessions instead of one or two long ones.
• Remember that practicing is about improving little by little. Tell your child that you are proud of his effort. 
• Positive reinforcement: good. Threats: bad.
• Make sure practicing is on YOUR radar. Parents sometimes have no idea that practicing between lessons is a huge part of progressing. They might not think they play a roll in their child's practicing. 
• Don't be a perfectionist. A wrong note is just a wrong note. 
• If you hear the same wrong note over and over (and over and over) again, it's time to write a hint on the music. If you have no idea how to do that, don't worry about it. You can just write me a note, make a video of the problem spot and send it to me (if you're super-ambitious), or just let it slide until lesson day. PS: If you can gently suggest that something doesn't sound quite right when your child gets to a specific place in the music, go for it.
• Set a timer for 10 minutes, and ask your child to try practicing carefully for that long. When the time's up, stop. Repeat tomorrow.
• Have the piano tuner come out for a visit. Most pianos need to be tuned a minimum of once a year. Twice is usually better.

These ideas should get you and your child going on the right path. A rule of thumb is this: if you don't see the golden words, "Practicing Star!" in more than half of your child's lesson notes each semester, Junior needs to spend more time at the piano, and Mom or Dad need to do a little more in the way of active encouragement. It's not something that rests entirely on the child's shoulders. (This is the tough love portion of my message.) A week here or there with no practicing star is completely normal, but most children are capable of earning a star the majority of weeks. I'll do my best to assign music that challenges but doesn't overwhelm. I'll make as many assignments "fun" as I possibly can and demonstrate the best ways to practice at home. In between lessons is your time to take what we start in the studio and help move it along a bit. No musical expertise is required...encouragement and consistency will do the trick!