I get so many people asking me to teach the Piano to their children. It’s understandable, it’s a great skill, and many children rightly want to learn.
Sometimes however, when i ask the parents if they can play the piano themselves they reply “no but I wish that I had learnt when I was a child.”
Although I can understand why they wish their child to learn, many parents want their children to have what they did not, but I also always want to know why they think it’s too late for them to pull up the chair. Learn as a child or learn as an adult, if it’s a skill you always wanted then life is short, seize the day and learn as well.
I myself can only play and now have the pleasure to teach the Piano because both my own parents played the Piano and I wanted to follow in their example. As young children, we usually want to do what our parents do ( not what they say we should do). Our parents are our first role models after all. When i was young (er) i would listen to my parents play not only the piano, but also a host of other instruments and it inspired me. Them playing the piano made it seem normal, it was just something families did, something that was not forced and it just happened. It Inspired me to play, it filled me with a love of music. and it filled our home with music and the joy of a joint family passion.
So, if you want your children to learn to play the piano because you always wanted to learn, then why don’t you learn? and they will more than likely follow. But they will follow because they want to, and follow with a passion for wanting to learn.
Or, another option, is both you and your son or daughter can attend lessons together. This way you can both get support and encouragement at home whilst sharing a love of playing.
Sadly many children don’t persevere with their learning if the idea of playing comes from an interest that is often not understood by parents or other family members. Again, It is never too late to learn to play the Piano. it’s common, and understandable, that people will invest time and money for their children but not themselves but if you can do both, or your desire to make your children learn is because you really wanted to learn then have a ponder about what is best for both of you.
I played duets with both my parents, and it’s a truly fond memory I treasure and remember them by. It’s a shared activity that can be fun and quite honestly something that you could miss out on.
If you are in Heswall, the Wirral or anywhere on Merseyside and want to have an informal chat about either you, your child or you and your child learning to play then please get in touch.
Mel