Is practicing piano as important as doing homework?
I have been teaching piano lessons for close to ten years now and I have noticed a wide variety of commitment levels to practicing across my studio. And I think that what it all boils down to is your answer to these questions: “Why do I want my child to learn a musical instrument? What do I hope for them to get out of it?”
There is no single right answer to these questions. Your reasons are personal to you. But I want you to take a step back for a moment and reflect on your answers, because it will help bring clarity to where piano practice falls in the priority list for your family.
Some parents want their children to learn a musical instrument is to give them a creative outlet for them to express themselves and develop a love of music. Other parents want to encourage desirable character traits in their children. Some families value music as a part of their family culture and it is a way for the family to connect with each other. Others are just looking for a fun activity for their child to engage in as part of a well-rounded education.
All of these reasons are valid; and your specific reasons impact what practicing means to your family and set the tone for what piano practice should look like in your home.
If your goal is to give your child a creative outlet for self-expression, then letting your child free play on the piano more than practicing assignments might feel like a higher priority. Maybe practice looks like noodling around on the keys for a little while after getting home from school or before bed to unwind. Maybe learning to play a song your child likes to listen to by ear is a part of practice in your home. Maybe piano time happens in little bursts throughout the day as your child passes by the piano.
You get to decide where playing piano fits into the mix for your family. The more your child goes to the piano to process emotions, the more your child will gravitate toward the piano and want to practice. In this case, gentle encouragement and nudging to go work things out at the keys is a helpful way to build a habit of daily piano playing.
If your goal is to cultivate desirable character traits in your child through musical study, then it can be helpful to consider how they may develop those traits by practicing the piano. For example, you can support your child in developing perseverance and problem-solving skills by encouraging them to revisit a passage that they are struggling with and working through it creatively to improve it. You can help your child take responsibility for their progress and develop self-discipline by collaborating with them to set a practice routine and schedule that they choose, then holding them accountable to their word.
Even if you are just planning to give your child an opportunity to try out piano and see if they like it, some degree of practice will need to happen for them to truly have the chance to enjoy playing the piano. It is not a pick-up-and-go skill. It takes time and involves complex fine motor skills, which do no develop overnight.
Now, let's shift gears for a moment and think about homework. What is the purpose of homework? What are our children learning from the process of doing homework?
Well, for one thing, they are practicing the skills and concepts that they are learning in class. This helps reinforce what they are learning and build confidence, which helps them keep making progress.
What do you suppose would happen if your child only practiced math one day a week? I suspect that progress would be pretty slow and concepts would have to be reintroduced and relearned over several weeks, which could get pretty boring and frustrating.
You can probably see where I am going with this...
There is no way around it. Whenever we want our child to learn a new skill, no matter what that skill is, we need to support their success by making practice a priority.
So... Should we treat practicing piano as important as doing homework?
The short answer is yes, because no matter what your reasons are for enrolling your child in piano lessons, they (and you) will get the most out of the experience if they are playing the piano on a regular basis. Skills will grow faster. Motivation will stay ignited. The foundation will be laid for a lifetime of musical enjoyment.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that we all want those things for our children who are learning a musical instrument!
Ready to take the next step? Book a FREE trial lesson today to see how Grace Piano Studio can help you and your child achieve your goals at the piano!
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