https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 20:33:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554897 Mon, 23 May 2016 16:52:30 +0000 Eko 2554897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I work with a woman that was a former classical piano teacher. She taught really young kiddos. She said that its her recommendation to wait until they are at least 5. She said for herself she was asking for lessons really young and her parents finally gave in and put her in lessons at 8. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554873 Mon, 23 May 2016 16:05:49 +0000 PurplePeony 2554873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: most likely someone else, especially if she doesn't choose the instrument he plays. But in general, it's not a great idea to teach your own kid. And although he does teach private lessons now and then, his students are all high-schoolers trying to get into music school, so teaching a preschooler is pretty out of his element. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554846 Mon, 23 May 2016 15:18:55 +0000 marley 2554846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD started Suzuki cello lessons at 2 years and 8 months. She asked for them because my DH also plays, and I play the piano. we have a lot of musician friends who come over to play music, and 2 of her grandparents play instruments. I think DD pretty much thinks everybody plays an instrument.</p> <p>I know 2 years is really young, but we made sure that we got a full assessment on readiness from the music school, and she passed. She loves performing and going to her lessons, but doesn't like practicing too much. I can't say I blame her. It's been a terrific experience in general and we are very proud. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554658 Mon, 23 May 2016 12:42:47 +0000 tlynne 2554658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DS began BEGGING for violin lessons two years ago, when he turned 3. Unfortunately we weren't able to find a violin teacher in our area that we were comfortable with...so we introduced the idea of piano. He decided about 6 months ago (just before he turned 5) that he wanted to give it a try, and he's loving it. I do remind him to practice, but there's no nagging/whining, etc. He gets excited about his progress, and is generally proud of himself. I think kids are ready to start formal lessons when they begin to show signs of reading readiness (turning pages, tracking left-to-right, understanding that symbols have meaning, being able to pay attention to a lesson for 30 minutes). Before a child is ready for this, though, Kindermusic or Suzuki classes are some great opportunities to explore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554646 Mon, 23 May 2016 12:33:36 +0000 sunny 2554646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would like to have my daughter start piano lessons soon. She's almost 4. The problem is finding the time in our schedule. :-( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554599 Mon, 23 May 2016 11:23:12 +0000 Silva 2554599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I should add, I'm not resistant to the idea of music lessons. I'm just concerned about my five year old being overbook/over committed. That is when she will start full day kindergarten after having been home most of the time with me, with mostly unstructured play time and outdoor time. So it's more just an age thing for me, in the debate with my husband. I do think music is very important, and when she is older I would be more inclined to "expect" it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554594 Mon, 23 May 2016 11:15:31 +0000 lamariniere 2554594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: he's actually learning to play the recorder at daycare now, but it stays at school so I don't know how much he has actually learned this year. </p> <p>@PurplePeony: that's great! Will your DH be the teacher or will you find someone else?</p> <p>@Truth Bombs: yeah, that's what I'm kind of thinking to..."make" them do it just for the exposure and then let them decide if they want to continue or not. Because like I said, I don't think my son would really think to ask for any particular lessons, music or otherwise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554587 Mon, 23 May 2016 11:09:23 +0000 Silva 2554587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I meant more that if she isn't interested/doesn't like going we won't force it.</p> <p>@ShootingStar: @catlady: yes, Irish fiddle. The place we are looking at teaches both. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554583 Mon, 23 May 2016 11:05:46 +0000 Truth Bombs 2554583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes they will both have to do music lessons starting in elementary school. But we'll let them pick their instrument. And only "make" them do it for a couple years. Then, if they choose not to continue, that's fine. I'm big on pushing my kids to be exposed to a lot of things, but then letting them decide if it's something they want to stick with or not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554571 Mon, 23 May 2016 10:53:20 +0000 looch 2554571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Haha, that's funny, that's how I approached it as well. I asked the music teachers at his school if they do lessons and they do, so that's who we'd use. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554570 Mon, 23 May 2016 10:50:14 +0000 PurplePeony 2554570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH is a professional musician, so DD will absolutely take lessons. Not sure what instrument, though, as she's only 2.5 and hasn't shown a particular affinity for any one instrument yet. She likes to dabble on our piano, her toy drum set, DH's guitar (which she loves to "tune," much to his chagrin, haha) and whatever else is around. Right now we're just encouraging her to have fun with it. I think we'll probably start her in lessons around 4-ish, but I told DH that music stuff is pretty much his responsibility. But if/when she takes piano lessons, I do plan to take them with her -- I wanted to learn as a kid and couldn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554513 Mon, 23 May 2016 08:58:23 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2554513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think in 3rd grade at the elementary school they learn to read some notes and play the recorder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554508 Mon, 23 May 2016 08:55:33 +0000 nana87 2554508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I think it would be so helpful to play with! My mom never played, but she started us with Suzuki because of the parental involvement aspect: she worked and wanted to have a structured, bonding activity with us. I still have muscle memory for playing a few songs on the violin--I mean, I suck and couldn't join an orchestra today anymore, but I can def play "Twinkle Twinkle" still, haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554505 Mon, 23 May 2016 08:52:15 +0000 lamariniere 2554505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: yes! I'm also interested in this "maybe I could learn a bit myself" idea. :happy: I played piano and saxophone as a kid, so I do know how to read music, although, guitar is a totally different animal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554500 Mon, 23 May 2016 08:47:49 +0000 nana87 2554500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lo is in "music class" now at age 2, but it's not an instrument--it's jump and dance around while the teachers sing/play instruments and totally unstructured. </p> <p>both my brother and I started violin lessons at 5 via Suzuki method and I would def consider starting that when lo is 4 or 5. Especially since I could sort of get back into playing myself to help lo learn--there's a strong emphasis in parent involvement during practicing. I think Suzuki has a harsh, "tiger-mom"-y reputation, but my teacher growing up was all about positivity and joy in it: his motto was "practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes it easier" which I think is fantastic--it was my motto when taking the GREs before grad school too! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554459 Mon, 23 May 2016 08:00:15 +0000 catlady 2554459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO does parent-child piano lessons (age 2.5). She goes to a music focused daycare so the lessons are included with tuition starting at the toddler level (we could have chosen piano or drums at her age, and preschoolers also have the option of violin or guitar). Right now she's just exploring and having fun. The lessons are very low key since she's so young (just 15 min once per week). She'll try other instruments next year and I hope that by age 5 or so, we can pick one and stick with it. I played violin and viola for a very long time, so I'd love for her to have music in her life too. She's starting alot younger than me, which will give her an advantage.</p> <p>@Silva: What type of fiddle? I played Scottish fiddle (also some Irish) in addition to classic violin. Btw, I highly recommend having your child learn classical as well, even if you just want them to fiddle. If they only fiddle, they won't be able to play in orchestras in school, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554454 Mon, 23 May 2016 07:50:47 +0000 ShootingStar 2554454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: I'm pretty sure fiddle is a colloquial term for violin. </p> <p>DS is really interested in watching my mom play various instruments (she's a professional musician) so we may try the violin with Suzuki method at 3, which is pretty much the youngest you can do. No pressure though. Of course my mom's sure he'll be a prodigy :silly: . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554444 Mon, 23 May 2016 07:42:36 +0000 lamariniere 2554444@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: the convenient thing for us is that the potential teacher is a teacher at the daycare who has already done plenty of music activities with DS and I know my son really likes this teacher.</p> <p>@Silva: at this age, I'm not really sure if my child would think to ask for music lessons on his own, so I'm not sure how much "forcing" is necessary. I've suggested it to him and he's interested in the idea, but it's hard to gauge if the interest is genuine or just him being agreeable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554412 Mon, 23 May 2016 06:46:09 +0000 Silva 2554412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our plan is to try fiddle at age 5. We won't force it. I probably wouldn't do it until she asked, but it's important to my husband. There's a great local place that has lessons that are very kid friendly. We will see how it goes.</p> <p>My husband's family did violin beginning at a young age. My mother in law is only a solid 30% of my resistance, but at least 70% of why we will do fiddle instead of violin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554407 Mon, 23 May 2016 06:41:03 +0000 looch 2554407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am on the fence about it...what I was thinking is inviting a teacher over just to play the piano while he's around to see what happens.</p> <p>If I try to make it too formal, he'll automatically shut it down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/does-your-lo-take-music-lessons#post-2554391 Mon, 23 May 2016 05:49:14 +0000 lamariniere 2554391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tell me about it!</p> <p>How old were they when they started? What instrument? Did they request it or did you just sign them up for it? Do they enjoy it? Practice without too much fuss? Are they sticking with it? How often are lessons?</p> <p>We are thinking about guitar lessons for my 5 yo. I'm not sure if he's genuinely interested or if he's just interested because a friend from school is learning guitar (and they let him play it at school). We already have a teacher ready and willing if we decide to go forward, so it's really just a matter of deciding. </p>