4Real Forums: When to let go?

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The Arts in the Everyday
4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday

Topic: When to let go?

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donnalynn
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Joined: July 24 2006
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Posted: March 31 2008 at 9:30am \| IP Logged

How do you know when it is time to just let go of an instrument?

Both of our older girls (11 and 13) have taken violin for years - now the 13 yo is really unhappy playing.

The 13 yo started learning to play the chanter for bagpipes about a year ago but dh and I wanted her to continue with violin through 8th grade (she's 7th grade now).

We do usually have the most difficulty when a new orchestra season begins (as the spring semester has now) when the music is new and challenging.

She will finish out this term - no question - but I am really doubting whether I can manage to get her through another year.

Any thoughts?

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donnalynn

CrunchyMom
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Posted: March 31 2008 at 10:17am \| IP Logged

I found junior high to be the age when I was least "committed." I'm not sure I ever asked to quit (piano), but most of my friends did--and most of them that I've heard mention it in later years regretted it. Its a tough age anyway, and things do start to become more work (instead of a new piece every week or so, its a new piece every month or three).

You know your situation best, and if it is going to be a lot of extra stress for you, you might have to let it go, and that is okay. I just wanted to point out that getting her through this year might be just a hump period that won't be so bad every year afterwards.

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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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happymama
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Posted: March 31 2008 at 1:19pm \| IP Logged

just my personal experience:

Like most of my peers, I "hated" piano lessons and quit freshman year of high school. Not being required to practice and go to lessons was enough to make me want to play for fun - I would buy my own music and started spending hours playing just for fun. The next year, I discovered a different teacher, one with a much different, more professional style of teaching, and once again took lessons for a while, until the rigors of my busy schedule took over.

So my suggestion would be, if you decide to stop lessons, don't call it "quitting", just call it taking a year off, and during the year encourage them to take out the instruments and play for fun, and even let them pick out some music of their own.

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