Getting into the world of music is one of the best things that your child can do. But there’s a long road ahead of them. After all, there’s a lot of things that one person needs to do before becoming a rock superstar. And it’s not all fun and games – there’s a lot of practice, knowledge, and experience you’d need before even thinking about becoming a professional musician. Some ask, should you take music lessons?
But regardless of the goals you are striving for, knowing how to play an instrument is a plus. Whether this will be a profession or a fulfilling hobby – it doesn’t matter! Any music style is like a language; giving us a new voice to express ourselves in ways words just cannot define. But still, in order to reach at least a decent level, there’s still going to be a lot of learning and practicing involved.
So the big question gets to our head: how can you motivate your child to take music lessons? After all, kids can often be easily distracted and move on to something else. It is up to you, as a parent, to find ways to motivate and encourage them to work on these talents. While it may not be that easy for young ones to think about this the same way that you do, there are still some ways that can help you in this. So let’s find out more about that.
Before you get into it…
First and foremost – your child should show at least some interest in music. If the magic is not there, forcing them to take lessons rarely achieves anything. They’ll just end up being frustrated and will spend their time on something they’ll most likely never excel at. Let them be for a while, and maybe the interest in music will come up later in life.
However, if they do show interest and are clearly captivated by any type of music, then there’s definitely a solid basis here. You should find ways to encourage and motivate them to keep things going in this direction.
Talk to your child about music, learn about their interests and whether they want to take music lessons
The best way to start is to just talk to your child, ask them what kind of music they like. Of course, this depends on age. But, you’ll be surprised by some of the answers that you’ll get. After all, they’re innocent and have no specific genre boundaries in mind when picking the music they like. By finding out about their interests, you’ll have enough information to find ways on how to motivate them.
Take them to live concerts and show them new music
After getting more info from them, try and take them to see live shows that they might like. Of course, if we’re talking about younger kids, make sure to bring hearing protection for louder concerts. Either way, seeing a band or an artist that they like will definitely inspire and motivate them to start taking lessons. Whenever they take the instrument, it will remind them of all the great live shows they’ve seen. And is there a better motivator than looking up to already experienced musicians?
Let them have a say in it
You should always bear in mind that it’s them that are taking these lessons, and not you. Therefore, you should let them have a say in it. Let them choose the instrument that they want to play, and let them focus on the music that they enjoy. Of course, there should be some discipline and direction involved in it. But at the end of the day, music is all about expression, and it’s always a good idea to let them do what they want to do.
In case you notice that your child is making their own music, it’s always a good idea to encourage them to keep doing that. When exploring new music, they’ll be motivated to learn more about theory and writing.
Don’t turn practice into a chore – take music lessons
Yeah, you’ve invested your time, energy, and funds into these lessons, and you’ll expect your child to practice. However, if you push them too hard, there’s a high chance your child will start resenting music lessons and would stop practicing altogether. They’ll start taking these lessons as any other chore.
Many parents will often find ways to “award” their kids after they complete their practice sessions, without even having set results in mind other than practice time. However, wouldn’t it be better if playing the instrument is an “award” on its own? Try and not turn it into an obligation. They probably already have a lot of school work that they’re not enjoying. Therefore, they don’t need another strict commitment in their life. Otherwise, they’ll just find ways to slack off.
Reward them for their accomplishments and be their biggest fan
Nonetheless, it’s always a good idea to reward them when they reach a certain goal. For instance, if they learn this new song or a riff or a melody that they love, try and find the ways to reward them for it.
Remember that you, as a parent, should be their biggest fan. Just like with your favorite bands and artists, this means that you’ll need to keep some interest in your child’s work. Always cheer them on, encourage them, and show genuine interest.
It’s all in the details…
We should also not forget that there are some details in the working environment that will encourage your children to take music lessons to the next level. For instance, our school offers an ultimate experience, and there’s even a motion sensor that triggers a crowd chant whenever a kid walks in. We also provide an extremely exciting visual experience, and each of the practice rooms is named after one of those famous rock clubs. These small tricks always work.
