Enticing them to want to play...

She just makes it look like fun, I guess..  This article is about Mozart's mother.  I wonder about these heroes.  Here I am, trying to be a better Suzuki mom, but I have only begun to explore what it takes to rear musical children.  I know she looks like a wild card.  We'd get along famously.  Since I can't meet her (or other great musical mommies) every day, I'll keep reading the good book and reporting in once in a while.  

In Suzuki's book, Ability Development from Age Zero, p. 10-14, he gives us moms some help in enticing our children to want to play.  

It's so fun and easy.  O.K. Here's how you do it.  You just pick up your little 3 year old's violin or flute or whatever their playing, and you play it.  Act like you're having a grand old time of it.  Put on the twinkle songs and play right along with them.  Have a concert for Daddy.  Make sure he lavishes you with praise and such.  (that wouldn't hurt either way)  By this time, the little critter will be dying to pick up that fiddle and practice.  She'll be begging for a lesson.  "O.K.  if you're good.. and IF you promise to practice....I'll sign you up for a lesson... etc. etc. "  

O.K. this isn't EXACTLY what Suzuki said to do, but he's so chop chop about life.  You get the idea.  

Keep Practicing

In light of the upcoming Suzuki Workshops (Jan 18th-20th), I asked Marti what we should all be doing to prepare for the big event.  In a word, she said PRACTICE.

P: Persevere through the days, practicing as often as you can

R: Ready yourself with listening to the recordings often

A: Attend (listen) to your intonation.  Keep your technique clean, and you will sound good also

C: Consistency is the mantra of all "talented" musicians

T: Technical skills (bow hold) produce great sounds

I: Instruments are to be loved and visited often

C: Choose to be a happy musician--grumpy ones still have to practice, so be happy

E: Energize yourself by listening to the great musicians who have gone before you.

Have a great holiday, and we'll check in with you after the New Year! 

Having trouble getting that child to practice?

Really now, don't roll his head off!  Remember we love those little crunchkins, even if they do give us gray hair once in a while! 

In the big scheme of a day, we all have things we have to do as well as things we want to do.  As a parent, you can make the "have to's" come before the "want to's" of this life.  Oh sure, sometimes a child actually WANTS to practice-- that's great and all.  Give him the red plate for dinner, OK?  

Let's be realistic.  Having a child's whims line up with his required duties may happen as often as all of the planetary orbits align.  So, remember you are the parent.  You can make that little one practice before the talking cubicle comes on or the snack cart rolls through.  You can say NO to activity XYZ if practice times have not been met.   It's tough being a parent, but you can do it!   You are not a wimpy parent.  Just don't roll his head off.... yet.