parents
A Parent's Guide to Enhancing Your Child's Musical Experiences
Your decision to provide your child with a quality musical instrument is an investment in your child's future. In making it possible for your child to play a musical instrument, you are providing the opportunity for self-expression, creativity, and achievement.
Numerous studies indicate that parental attitude, support and involvement are important factors in a child's ability to successfully learn to play and enjoy music.
These guidelines are designed to assist you in giving your child the best support possible for their musical endeavors. Like any skill, interest counts far more than talent. With strong support from you, playing music will become a natural part of your child's life.
Benefits
for your child
Music participation enhances:
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Goal-setting
Self-expression
Physical coordination
Memory skills
Self-confidence and esteem
Concentration
Poise
and much, much more!
for your family
A child's music study also offers opportunities for shared family experiences, including:
Musical event attendance
Family music-making
Performing for, and with, family and friends
Learning about the lives of composers and the cultural heritage of many civilizations
A sense of accomplishment and pride for the entire family.
How You Fit In
Always keep in mind that your support is an essential element in your child's success with music study.
Music achievement requires effort over a period of time. The time in orchestra rehearsal is limited. New concepts learned at school need daily personal practice time by your child at home in order for these new skills to be developed. You can help your child by:
Providing a quiet place in which to practice
Remaining nearby during practice times as often as possible
Scheduling a consistent daily time for practice
Praising your child's efforts as much as, if not more than, their achievements
What To Do
To give your child the best possible support, you should:
Remind your child to bring instrument and music to orchestra class
Encourage your child to play for family and friends
Offer compliments and encouragement regularly
Expose your child to a wide variety of music, including concerts and recitals
Encourage your child to talk with you about classes
Make sure your child's instrument is always maintained well
Listen to your child practice, and acknowledge improvement
Help your child build a personal music library
Encourage your child to make a commitment to their music studies
Get to know your child's teacher
What To Avoid
Using practice time as punishment
Insisting your child play for others when they don't want to
Ridiculing or making fun of mistakes or less-than-perfect playing
Apologizing to others for your child's weak performance
To Maintain Interest
Talk with your child if their interest begins to decline
Discuss with the orchestra teacher ways to maintain your child's enthusiasm for playing
Increase your enthusiasm and involvement in your child's playing.