https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 02 May 2026 22:48:25 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-73451 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:55:21 +0000 mynoahbear 73451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I won't force them but I will definitely encourage them to take up an instrument. I want them to enjoy themselves. It would be nice if they learned to play the piano or violin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-73245 Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:06:50 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 73245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was forced to play the flute because it was a "girl" instrument. I hated every single second of it. I used to hide my flute, try to break it, get sick for lesson days... anything to avoid playing. If my parents had just let me play guitar or sax or drums, I probably would have liked it... but they insisted on flute.</p> <p>That said, if LJ likes music, she can do it. We have a piano in our house, so that would be an easy match, but really it's more about what she might be interested in. We also do "Music Together", which she loves. I would never force her into a particular instrument or into playing at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-73232 Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:24:41 +0000 BSB 73232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Considering I'm not musically talented, I won't force my child to play an instrument. If they want to, sure, I'll let try it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-72029 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:15:21 +0000 redboots 72029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. I will only put them in music lessons if they show interest. I was never forced to except through school and I hated every second of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-72025 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:56:42 +0000 looch 72025@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What an interesting read this thread has been! I honestly don't know where I fall...I am biased against music lessons from a horrible personal experience while in high school. Long story short, I am not naturally talented at music, I really have to practice, which is not a problem when I want to do it. I had a band teacher that used fear to force you to "earn" your chair in class. I am a terrible sight reader, and he'd just randomly assign new music to the group, point to someone and you'd have to play. Then the person that sat in the seat below you played, if they could sight read better, you lost your seat, possibly down to the last seat. So, after 2 years of humiliation, I decided to take up photography instead. It was too bad, because I liked my instrument (clarinet) and had played it for 5 years by then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-72017 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:45:37 +0000 loveisstrange 72017@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I played violin for 13 years and sang in the choir and DH is a musician of many talents (he can play anything with strings plus piano and clarinet.)</p> <p>We are planning to put our kids into the arts as soon as possible. We'll probably start out with piano and go from there. I'd love her to get into many thing and do dance, voice lessons, etc. I'm not going to force her to though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71737 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:57:02 +0000 leelee 71737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would love for our kids to play the piano! Ive always wanted to learn but my parents couldnt afford it. DH wants our little girl to play the violin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71643 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:49:50 +0000 marley 71643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my husband and I are both musicians. I don't think we'll "make" our LO play an instrument, but I'm hoping he/she will be influence by our interests and ask us for lessons. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71496 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:34:53 +0000 SAHM0811 71496@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD took individual piano lessons at preschool last year. She was 3 yo and came home with weekly homework. She's lately expressed an interest in ballet more though, so that's her extra-curricular activity this semester. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71494 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:32:20 +0000 banana 71494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grace: Thanks for providing your point of view from a piano teacher. I'm sure you've seen kids who DETEST it but are forced by their parents who probably somewhat live vicariously through them. :( No fun for both the kid and the teacher!</p> <p>I definitely wouldn't force them if they absolutely HATED it. But I wouldn't let them quit when they're whining about doing drils and practing and saying 'I don't like this anymore. I wanna quit." (like I did). I would definitely, like you suggested, praise them for practicising and encourage them to keep going with positive support even when they start disliking it. One of the traits I dislike the most about myself (amongst many!) is that I've always been a quitter. Once something gets hard, I find myself quitting and I totally think that stems from my childhood. Man, I hope my kids don't inherit or learn that from me. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71488 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:19:31 +0000 Grace 71488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sooooo, I'm a piano teacher and can I ask please please please please don't "force" your kid to take piano lessons! It's just sheer torture for the kid, the parents and the teacher! I would recommend that you encourage your kid to take music, and force your kid to practise. All too often, I have a student taking lessons because mom or dad quit too early. Or because quitters never prosper. Those kids hate piano, they hate practising and it's only once in a blue moon that they will come around to liking piano again.</p> <p>Here's what I recommend. If you want your kid to play the piano, for example, get one of those cheap keyboards and let them play with it. Encourage them in their play, and ask them if they'd like to learn one day. Get them excited about lessons. Enroll them in kindermusic or programs where there is group lessons. They are really well suited to really young kids. Hold off on piano lessons until they are in grade one. In grade one, kids can sit still (a half hour lesson is torture for most 4-5 year olds), plus they start to read, which helps a lot in piano. Once they start lessons force them to practise every single day. 10 min in grade 1, 20 min in grade 2, 30 min in grade 3 etc. Make it a habit and praise them for practising! If they hate it after a year or two of lessons, consider letting them quit, or consider coming up with a time limit (give it one more year, or something). And when I say "hate", I mean there is a battle most nights over practising, they don't want to come to the lesson and most importantly, they aren't learning anymore. It really seems to go in one ear and out the other. The student really has to want to learn to retain that information.</p> <p>But the kids who love it, they are the ones waiting at the door for the teacher, they are the ones making up little songs, they are the ones that are super excited to get that sticker when they've mastered a song. Try to get your kids to love music, because forcing them won't work.</p> <p>....and with that I'll get off my soapbox. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71394 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:44:21 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 71394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I play the piano now (and took 15 years of lessons), so we will definitely have a piano in our home. DH is a drummer, so as much as I don't want a full drum kit in our place, it might happen. Needless to say, I think that one way or another, our LO is going to play SOME sort of instrument.<br /> Wouldn't a tuba be awesome? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71382 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:41:06 +0000 chopsuey 71382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO will take piano lessons for sure. She'll definitely take the lessons for at least a year. If she stinks and isn't any good (with practice) we'll move on to the next thing. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71334 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:20:34 +0000 banana 71334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH and I (and my brother too) all agree that we wish our parents forced us to do it longer (piano for my husband, dance for me). I think we all hit a point where it gets hard and tedious (because the beginning is usually fun and easy) and then we quit. I mean, who likes doing practice runs and drills. But if we get passed that point, then it could become enjoyable again. I'm going to really press my kids to continue learning past the point of dislike (in a positive environment) with encouragement and support. I have so many things that I've learned just the beginning stages of and then quit because I didn't like it anymore (ballet, tap dance, jazz, piano, gymnastics, clarinet) and I haven't mastered any one of those things. My mom never once pushed me to keep going. She would just say "Ok, don't do it anymore." because he wanted me to be happy. I don't blame her for her one bit. But sometimes I totally wish my mom would've pushed me to keep going and been supportive and gave me good role models and examples of people who have gone past that point of dislike.</p> <p>That's my hope but who knows what kind of parent I will end up being. But I'd like to try to do this for my kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71329 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:15:02 +0000 Mrsbells 71329@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would like my child to play atleast two instruments. both my husband and I are musical so I think it will rub off on them </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71328 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:13:47 +0000 yoursilverlining 71328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We plan to start LO on piano as soon as we can, which I guess would be ‘forcing” her since she won’t be old enough to really decide on her own. ;-) We want to start with piano because I think it’s a decent “gateway” instrument – you learn to read music in multiple chefs and get a good understandings on lots of musical basics. When she’s old enough to decide, if she wants to play something else, that’s great too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71321 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:10:25 +0000 Mrs. Bee 71321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i actually wish my parents forced me to do it longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71320 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:10:16 +0000 tequiero21 71320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i dunno, but we do have a guitar at home, so maybe the kids would want to play with it. i also want to get a keyboard or something. i definitely want to encourage them to do SOMETHING, not necessarily learn an instrument. but i would like my kids to be able to read music. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71262 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:36:13 +0000 Penny Lane 71262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I play piano, guitar and flute, so I'll probably teach them to read music when they're pretty young, like my Mom did, but I hope when they're older they'll WANT to learn more. I don't want to force them into it, because then, I believe, it would be hard for them to enjoy it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71251 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:29:55 +0000 sulli301 71251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am really hoping that LO will take after her father on this one! I was never good at musical instruments &amp; wish I would have tried harder/been better! I would like to start her off at a very young age so that hopefully she will not feel forced but learn to have a love for music. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71244 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:28:09 +0000 yin 71244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was the typical band geek -- without the actual instrument. All of my friends were either in the band or orchestra, and I was so jealous of them. I won't force any activity on my LO, but I do plan on introducing music to him at an early age. My friend is a piano teacher, and I can't wait for him to learn from the best. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71218 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:09:55 +0000 heffalump 71218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ill encourage her to play. I played tuba and hubby played sax. She can play whatever she wants. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71180 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:53:00 +0000 BoogieBea 71180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents never forced me to play an instrument but I wished they did. I would love to be able to play the piano. I don't know if I'll force them to play an instrument if they're truly not interested but will definitely expose them to a few and see. He loves "strumming" my husbands guitar. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71173 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:49:30 +0000 mediagirl 71173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I won't make her play something but if she wants to, she can. We are not very musically inclined in our family, but I would love for her to just try something like I did when I was a kid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71170 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:47:12 +0000 twodoghouse 71170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As long as they show a general interest in music, I think I'd like them to try an instrument. My parents made us kids choose an instrument and forced us to stick with it forever practically. I played the violin all through grade school, junior high and high school but I didn't have a natural talent for it and didn't like practicing so I was never that great. I don't think I'd make my kids stick with it for years and years, but I'd like to see them try something. I think learning to read &amp; appreciate music is a great skill. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71166 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:45:20 +0000 cyndistar3 71166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think we would force them to learn one but we will definitely encourage it and if they decide they want to try to learn something I won't let them give up on it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71148 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:33:24 +0000 daniellemybelle 71148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hated piano lessons as a kid. My mom would sit with me to practice and have to pull my fingers out of my clenched fists one by one! </p> <p>I would want our kids to do at least one activity that is creative but also requires discipline. That wouldn't just be playing an instrument... it could be art, dance, singing, drama, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71061 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:48:17 +0000 MamaMoose 71061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes I'll make them play an instrument. Not sure which one yet. Probably piano if we end up in a house with the space for it. I think children don't know what things they are interested in unless their parents push them to try a great range of things. If my child/ren hate playing an instrument after a couple years of really trying it, then I would let them give it up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71051 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:41:34 +0000 Boogs 71051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't want to make LO play any sport or instrument in particular, but we are going to encourage him to try out a few things to see what he likes and what makes him happy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-are-you-going-to-make-your-lo-play-an-instrument#post-71011 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:25:20 +0000 Rubies 71011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will definitely make them play. NOT the piano, though. I hated it and wouldn't be able to push my kids. I intend on having LO play the cello.</p> <p>Piano lessons really did help me focus. I think music lessons are important. </p>