8 things parents need to know before starting music lessons
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8 things parents need to know before starting music lessons
Signing your kid up for music lessons? Wonderful! I hope you’re both excited to start learning and making music. Whether your child will be learning singing, piano, or another instrument, getting started can be a little intimidating if you’re not sure what to expect. Here are eight things you should know before your child’s first music lesson.
(Teen or adult beginner? This list isn’t for you. Check out “6 things you need to know before starting music lessons” instead.)
1. You should get everything they need right away
You have to provide materials - instrument, books, apps, headphones, metronome, practice area - whatever the teacher says is necessary, and whenever they say it’s necessary. You do need the instrument before the first lesson! You can’t wait and see how it goes before you get one, because you will not see how it would really go. You wouldn’t think, “We’ll see how she likes trigonometry class before we spend money on a calculator.” Without the calculator, she will not like trigonometry class, because she won’t really be able to participate in it! Without an instrument, your child will not have a chance to like lessons.
2. They will have to practice, and you will have to help them
Yes, they absolutely have to practice. They won’t be able to retain what they learned in a lesson unless it’s reinforced every day. Without practice, they won’t progress and will just feel frustrated. Read more: “Do I HAVE to practice?”
And yes, you’ll have to be there to assist them every time. Those materials you got for them, like apps and other tools? You will have to help your child use them. And even if you don’t know anything about what they’re learning, you have to sit with them while they practice every day, at least at first, to help them understand what they’re supposed to do when they practice and to encourage them. Even older beginners will need you to check in on them. The teacher will guide you on how to do this. Read more: “How to help your child practice”
3. You’ll have to follow the teacher’s or studio’s policies
Please remember that your teacher is a person running a business, and they are in charge of how they run that business. Remember, too, that they are a professional educator and an expert in music. Trust the teacher’s methods, and abide by their business policies. These will probably include rules about when and how you pay, the requirement that you provide necessary information, behavior rules for your child, policies and procedures for scheduling lessons, and the expectation that you keep up with communications like texts and emails. Build a respectful and positive relationship with your teacher and you’ll give your child the best possible opportunity to make the most of their lessons.
4. Consistent schedule is really important.
You have to carve out time and stick to the schedule for practice and lessons. Even if a teacher offers a la carte lessons, it’s not a good idea. Kids, and all people really, need consistency to learn. When practice and lessons are part of a balanced (not over-packed!) schedule, a child will expect and feel ready for these activities and have a much easier time learning. Consistency and routine are not just good for music learning, they’re good for your child’s overall emotional health. Read more: “Why Kids Need Routines” from Aha! Parenting
5. Adjustments might be needed.
You should give lessons a 100% positive effort for a while before you come to any conclusions, but you should periodically assess how it’s going by having a frank talk with the teacher and with your child. Your child may not be ready for lessons yet, in terms of attention span, physical development, or maturity. Or it may be that a switch from private lessons to group class (or vice versa), a different teacher, another instrument, or another activity might be a better choice for your child. For more on this topic, read “Signs you should let your kid quit lessons” and “Shopping around for a music teacher”
6. Making music is fun, but studying music isn’t ONLY for fun
If your kid is just in it for the fun, they won’t really get true value out of taking lessons. There are karaoke apps and piano play-along apps; use those if you just want your kid to be entertained. If you’re paying for lessons or classes, though, the students are supposed to be getting an educational experience. This means acquiring real skills and understanding, and it means developing their brains and bodies and hearts in incredible ways. It’s going to be challenging at times, and that’s not a bad thing.
7. Your child could be taking lessons for a very long time.
You could study music all your life and still never know everything there is to know, and even decent functional skills take a while to build up. So, therefore, don’t pressure your child or their teacher over achieving quick results. Therefore, celebrate the progress and the immediate victories. Therefore, be a cheerleader and help your child keep their motivation up and stick with it, even when it’s hard. If you know making music has become important to your child, don’t let them give up for bad reasons! Read more: “How soon will I see results from my music lessons?”
8. Making music is so personal.
Lessons are not a cut-and-dry money for services transaction. It’s a deeply personal thing to learn (or to teach) music, and the personalities of the student and teacher are an integral part of creating the magic of musicianship. Your child will have their own unique path as a musician. There’s no one way to become a musician, no necessary age to start, no required repertoire or rigid timetable of achievement benchmarks. Once music becomes part of your child’s life, being a musician will become part of their personality. Their relationships with music, with other musicians, and with their teachers will shape who they are for their whole lives. The personal connection is really what it’s all about!
If there’s just one thing you need to understand before your child starts lessons, it’s that they will need you to be involved every step of the way. Lessons won’t be musical babysitting sessions! Learning music is so much more than a fun activity - it can profoundly shape your child’s life and bring them so much joy and satisfaction. If you’re ever unsure what you should be doing to help, your child’s teacher will give you any guidance you need. Your support is essential to making music lessons a great experience for your child!
