I was inspired to write this post because I saw this video of a Suzuki parent. There are some very good points in this video. Maybe the title shouldn’t be confessions of a parent but rather how I helped my son on his musical journey. (yes, I think that’s a much better title).)

The idea of having parents involved in the lessons is something that began with Suzuki. The piano lesson is not something that you can drop your child off at and come back later. It is a long term, possibly arduous process and, hey, you have to listen to the practice every day! Come to the lessons and gain some knowledge and have fun. Most importantly it is about fostering a long term relationship with music.

I heard somewhere that 80% of early learning is done at home and school is the icing on the cake. It is said you are your child’s best teacher so even if you know nothing about music – like the woman in the video above – , come in to the lessons.

Here are some other things I have gleaned about why parents should attend lessons with there child.

  • bonding with your child
  • Making shared memories for a lifetime
  • Fostering long term relationships

Most importantly, be a good first teacher. Listen actively to your son/daughter practice. Encourage them to do so even when they do not want to. Use the videos for review and listen to the recordings. And SING!!! but that’s for another post.