How Much Do Music Lessons Cost?

If you're a new parent, you're starting to find out that raising kids is expensive! Now that your darling is of the age for music classes, you might be asking yourself, "How much is this going to cost? Is it worth it?"

Happy Money

Before I tell you too much about music class cost, be aware that HOW you spend your money really CAN affect how happy you are!  In the book, Happy Money, Elizabeth Dunn explains that your spending can bring you great joy and satisfaction, especially if you:

* Focus on Experiences

* Make it a treat

* Buy Time

* Pay now, consume later

* Invest in others

When it comes to Let's Play Music and Sound Beginnings, these principles can really apply.

* Focus on the experience of being in class with your child and of practicing with your child. Take photos and videos of this special time in your lives. You're not buying a result. You're buying an experience. 

* Knowing that music class won't last forever might make you enjoy it more...lots of parents are sad when their family graduates. Sorry! This is a special treat that only lasts a little while. 

* You're buying quality musical playtime with your child, so really focus on playing/engaging with him during music class. Turn off your phone. This is special time together for you to bond.

* Pre-pay for the whole year up front. It takes away the sting of the payment, and helps you focus on your own well-being and enjoying the class.

* Invest in your child by giving them the gift of music lessons.

Bargain Hindsight is 20/20

I have had a few parents who hear our rates (a year of Let's Play Music in the USA is about $400-$450 per year) and break into a happy dance. If you do the math, that's like $15 per lesson. Our lessons are 45, 50, or 55 minutes long and are PACKED with carefully timed activities (so we work all the musicianship skills in every class.)

I found out these parents are so happy because they have older children who have already explored exciting activities and incurred the exciting costs.  In comparison to just about everything else you can get involved in, LPM is a BARGAIN.  Now that I have older kids, too, I look back and realize, yes! A BARGAIN!

Don't get scared, but you might expect to spend a lot on these activities:

* Private music lessons: $20-$50 per 30-minute lesson ($1,000+/ year) 
* Swim lessons: $10-$20 per 30-minute lesson  
* Swim team: $100-$200/month 
* Karate: $100-$150/month 
* Dance classes: $60- $200/month
* Soccer: $50/month
* Club Soccer: $100-$200/month
* Gymnastics: $15-$20/ class 
* Gymnastics, advanced: $150-$200/month

An Abundance Mindset

Oh dear. I hope I didn't scare you too much.  I like to focus on an abundance mindset.  Yes, I want my kids to learn to swim AND learn music AND learn a team sport AND get passing grades. How can we have enough time and money to make all of that happen for them? (My post on teaching abundance mindset)

The truth is, we usually can't have it all, all at once. But we CAN give our kids a lot of experiences over time.  

Which activities do YOU value most? 

Which need to be done NOW?

Important and Urgent: I decided to have my kids learn to swim up to a competent level as soon as possible, since I value it as a life and safety skill. Once they're competent, that frees up more time/money for other things.  (Bonus: I now have a teenager working as a lifeguard and earning $$ with those mad skills.)

Valuable, Less Urgent: I also decided that my four kids would not play club sports year-round, so that they could have time and money to try out different sports each season. (Year-round club sports are not only super expensive, but often lead to burn-out) With some sports and activities, I came to grips with the fact that no harm will come if my kids don't get to experience all activities, like downhill skiing, in their youth. It doesn't fit into our budget now, but I plan to have a great ski-learning trip with them when they are college age. (Update: when one of my sons was 13 and wanted to play club soccer, I let him make that choice and put other things on hold during that time.)

Valuable and Urgent: Finally, because I understand the importance of whole musicianship, the sensitivity of the young ear, and the importance of starting early (post), I decided that starting music now is urgent.  My children would all complete the 3-year Let's Play Music program at ages 4-7, followed by piano or a different instrument if they chose.  

I am not afraid that I missed my chance to offer some other experiences to my kids. Instead, I'm confident that they eventually will accrue enough options to taste what the world has to offer, and they had enough consistency to get pretty-good at a few of the things.

Yes, we had a few dry spells when a child or two was not studying music (gasp!), but it didn't worry me because I took a big-picture abundance view. I adore when they join a high-caliber high school music program or sports program...and all of sudden the tax dollars start working in a visible way. 

I'm loving the fact that my LPM-graduate kids enjoy making music, and have the skills at least to know what to do when they want to learn a new song or piece. I love that they can understand what they hear in music, giving them a deeper appreciation and joy from it.  I love that their focus and study toward music helped them develop their minds and habits.

Were music classes worth the price? I say, Yes! 

This scenario is all about ME, but you can make a plan that works for YOU and your family. If music is important to you, you CAN make it work into your budget and you CAN still fit in the other things (eventually) that you value. 


Well, new parent, take some time to think about what experiences you want to invest in and when they need to happen. I sure hope that, if music is important to you, you will join us in Sound Beginnings or Let's Play Music classes.

If you're ready to jump in, find a teacher near you now!



- Gina Weibel, M.S.

Why Start Music Lessons NOW?

I've talked to many parents who are super excited to get their kiddo started in music-learning, but just as many who say, "yeah, I hope he learns to play saxophone someday, but why should I be thinking about that NOW? He's too young to be worrying about that."

You definitely benefit from music learning RIGHT NOW and I'll tell you why...

Because of Neural Development

I'm sure you've heard, when discussing learning foreign languages, that it's harder to learn a foreign language in adulthood if you were never exposed to it as a child. This is especially true if it's a language that involves utterances that are very different from those in your native language.

Music is a language in its own right, and likewise, has a world of sounds, pitches, tones, voices, and patterns that require listening, repetition, and training to distinguish and understand. Many will say that your ear is more sensitive when you're young, so you'll be better able to hear all the varieties of sounds.

It's not exactly your ear, but your brain, that is sensitive. A baby hears millions of sounds and needs help knowing which ones are important. Which ones have meaning? Which ones are unimportant and should be ignored? Over time, the sounds your baby ignores become harder for her to notice at all!

When we guide a child to focus on musical sounds, by filling the environment with them, by singing them, and by rejoicing when she sings them, the neurons for hearing those patterns are strengthened. It's never too early to begin this process... in utero is not too early!

A young (or not-so-young) person who has not strengthened the neural pathways has a more challenging path, and much more work to do to retrain her brain to start noticing sounds. Because it can be done, I never tell anyone to give up on music.  You're never too old.

Because the Memory Bank is Empty

Continue to consider music as a language. Two types of memory are used in learning: procedural memory and declarative memory. 

We use the procedural memory system, which develops early in life, to learn complex things like grammar and musical patterns. Much of the time, procedural learning happens unconsciously. The declarative memory is used to learn things like vocabulary words and facts, and takes longer to develop. 

As we age, we have more declarative memory accumulated. Adults trying to learn a new language (or music) draw from declarative memory, trying to piece together the 'facts' about how it all works.  This tendency can actually hinder our ability to internalize the procedural learning. We make learning harder by thinking about it too factually!

Youngsters have it easier; they don't have a memory bank full of facts, so they play with and experiment with the music, and with guidance internalize how it works in a procedural way. (We value play!) Youngsters who start early could speak music in a native tongue!

Because Musicians Trump Pianists

Lots of children will study to play an instrument. A few will actually be musicians using their instrument as an outlet for their art.  In our post, Are Music Lessons Holding Me Back?, I warned that disappointments can come from studying an instrument but ignoring overall musicianship: executive skills, notation skills, rhythmic skills, tonal skills and creatives skills.

Right now, your child is small, so I agree it doesn't make sense for him to be playing trombone or piano or violin. But, if he has no musical training for 8 years, and then jumps into trombone lessons, he runs a risk of become a trombone player but never a musician. Many (most?) private music lessons focus on executive and notation skills only. Before venturing into those lessons, spend preparatory time on rhythmic, creative, and ear-training tonal skills during preschool years.

The foundation you lay now can make a big impact on the type of musician your child becomes.

Because You Are The Student, Parent!

I'm sure you're interested in teaching 'school readiness' skills to your child at home, and I hope now you're also seeing the value in teaching 'music readiness' too.  Can you do it on your own?  Probably! Especially if you are musical yourself.  You can do things like:

* Provide a home with lots of music playing
* Sing together often, and encourage your child to sing
* Clap, stomp, dance to rhythmic music
* Listen to different styles of music, encourage your child to listen carefully and notice/appreciate instruments, mood, tempo, themes in different songs
* Buy or make simple instruments and sing/play often

And because I want you to be a rockstar music-readiness parent (figuratively and literally), I encourage you to get your child into Sound Beginnings or Let's Play Music classes NOW instead of later.  Because you will come to class with your child, you will be a student too! 

In class, you will:

* Learn a plethora of new games and activities to play at home to create the ideal musical environment 
* Meet other like-minded friends to play with
* Bond with your child in a focused playtime together
* Learn music theory and musicianship that's new to YOU, too!

Because We Know She's Young

One word of caution: Now that you've read about the importance of having music in her life now, you may be excited to get her into instrument lessons right away.  Instrument lessons are not the same as musicianship classes.

I generally never encourage anyone to go directly into instrument lessons at a very young age. Sitting on a piano bench for 30 minutes is torture for many 4-year-olds. Even if they don't mind the stillness and focus, I worry that the musicianship skills will be unbalanced in the long run.

Instead, find a program like Sound Beginnings or Let's Play Music that is play-based, with lots of movement and fun. Children and parents will have the most success and learn the most when they are happy and feel loved.  Nothing is more powerful than a first music experience that results in happy, uplifting memories couched in success, and the opposite is a first music experience that is scary or frustrating.

Let's Play Music addresses limitations and development of young players (our keyboard method), so she'll experience success and find room to push herself, too.  This is a program designed just for her, at her age.

If you're ready to jump in, find a teacher near you now.  See you in class soon!


- Gina Weibel, M.S.
Let's Play Music Teacher

Recital Time: We Celebrate Accomplishment

It's May, which means you've just participated in (or will soon experience) an end-of-year Let's Play Music recital.  Recitals are our biggest, shiniest way we share one of our fundamental values: We Celebrate Accomplishment and Aspire to Excellence.

Students of Nicci Lovell in Mesa, AZ perform classical music puppet show actions during a recital.

Why Perform?
How many adults have you met who wish they had persevered with music lessons instead of quitting early? Perhaps they needed more recitals! 'Too few performing opportunities' is among the TOP FACTORS that cause students to quit music lessons.  Let's take a closer look at your recital and why it's such a great teaching tool.  So, what does a student get from participating in a recital?

Motivation
Every student wishes to perform well in front of friends, family, and peers. For a first-year student, this may be the first time he gleans a deep understanding of the magic of serious practicing toward a goal.  Third-year students are definitely aware that a few weeks' of focus can result in an excellent show.  The upcoming show motivates students to add that bit of extra effort.  

"I'm definitely not going to miss any practices for the next 2 weeks, because I want to be really perfect for the SHOW!"  "I want to work extra hard on this piece, because it's going to be in the SHOW!"

First-year students of Heather Prusse in Gilbert, AZ had their bells songs mastered in time for the show.

Excellence
We aspire for excellence. At recital time, students have the opportunity and motivation to present their best selves.  They choose to write beautiful, challenging compositions and practice them to perfection.  Because our pass-off songs during the year are sometimes less-than-perfect (read our post on the learning process), recital gives an opportunity to strive for the VERY BEST. Once students know what that feels like, they raise the bar for in-class songs, too.

Discipline
Students will be asked to polish recital pieces beyond the level of perfection expected in class AND memorize them.  Will they rise to the exciting challenge, one that can only be met with steady, disciplined effort? Yes! Like the myriad of smaller challenges presented during Let's Play Music class, this one is intimidating at first, but definitely achievable.  "I know it is a big job to memorize this entire song, but I think if I add just a measure each day I'll be able to get it." "I don't want to skip practice today, because I know I need to learn at least one more line by tomorrow to be on target for learning this piece by showtime!"

Accomplishment
I love having recitals back-to-back or combined with several classes.  When a student sees the younger class perform, he can develop a sense of accomplishment and growth. "Last year I played that song, too. Now I can play so much better."  

Likewise, when watching an experienced student, he can set very realistic goals and aspire for the next year.  "I love that song that he wrote! I can't wait until I write my own song- It's going to be fantastic."  

In every case, students usually pull off their very best performances and even surprise themselves with how beautifully they perform.   "Grandma, did you hear me play the bells? I played perfectly!"   

Even when things go differently, students have an opportunity to evaluate themselves. "I missed a few notes on that song. I think I could have done better in the A section."

Performance Skills

Second-year students of Jodi Blackburn in Mesa, AZ 

It takes muster to get up on stage and perform! Some students are extremely nervous and anxious, but challenge themselves and go onstage nonetheless.  While it seems scary, the more a student performs, the more comfortable he becomes at it.  Recitals give students opportunities to build courage and confidence: traits that translate to public speaking and life events later on. 

"Last year I was pretty nervous to go on the stage, but this year it's not so bad. I know Mom is going to love hearing me play."



Mistakes
Recitals teach that mistakes are part of life.  Inevitably, a few stray notes will happen on stage.  Mistakes are common and we all make them.  Students learn that the mistakes are not the focus of the evening.  The important thing is getting up on stage and performing.  We focus on the accomplishment and not the mishaps that occur.

Celebration
The recital is a show, a performance, and a grand celebration.  I love to have pretty cakes and myriad treats at recitals, accompanied by awards and matching shirts and dressing up.  It is a special day and a big party complete with photos and flowers and lots of clapping.  After the marathon work students put in to produce their best work, a celebration is in order for a job well done.  We celebrate accomplishment!

First-year students celebrated with teacher, Tera Nelson in Rancho Cordova, CA

All Year Long
The Let's Play Music program is designed to celebrate accomplishment and aspire for excellence all year long.  Each time a student echoes Ed, sight-reads Edna's melody, or performs a pass-off song, a small opportunity arises to celebrate.  

"You really listened carefully…and you got it!"  "You played that song the best I've ever heard you play it!"  "Last week that was really tough for you, but you practiced and now you're doing it faster!"

Every activity in class has a purpose in music-teaching, every class takes students one step closer to excellence, and every time children participate in class activities they perform in a micro-recital among peers and parents.  

-Gina Weibel, MS
Let's Play Music Teacher

3 Big Ways To Boost Your Child's Brain Using Music

I'm guest author, Sharlene Habermeyer, mother of five boys and the author of Good Music Brighter Children and happy to be blogging for Let's Play Music today.   I have spent the last thirty years studying how music affects the brain and I’m convinced there is nothing like music to build a bigger, better brain for children and adults. Why? Because music is the ONLY thing we do that exercises the entire brain—left, right, front and back—simultaneously.

Bottom line: playing a musical instrument it is like giving the brain an aerobic workout accompanied by fireworks!

How does Let’s Play Music fit into all this brain-building activity? This program is so comprehensive in its musical scope that it builds the three areas of the brain most needed for learning: the auditory, the visual/spatial, and the motor cortices.  Let’s talk about each area and how it relates to learning…

Brain-builder #1: Music strengthens the auditory cortex and helps with reading and language…

Did you know that the auditory cortex of the brain is five times smaller than the visual cortex? So it is already established by the brain that we learn more quickly and easily by visually looking at something. But here’s the rub: when a child learns to read, they must use their ears first, (auditory cortex) and their eyes second (visual cortex). Think back when you were learning to read. All those letters on the page looked like Greek and it wasn’t until your teacher said the word, and you used your ears, that you understood how to say the word. So the rule for reading is: ears first to hear the pronunciation of the word and eyes second to visually recognize the word. From various brain scans, scientists know that learning a musical instrument strengthens all areas of the auditory cortex thereby making it easier for a child to read, tounderstand directions, and to process information in the classroom and elsewhere. It also reaches children who are learning disabled as all learning issues begin with auditory processing, or not being able to understand what you hear.

The philosophies of Kodály and the music-teaching methodology that develops and strengthens the auditory cortex are integrated into Let's Play Music classes.  Kodály trains children to sing on pitch without the aid of an instrument. It’s called solfege (read more about it here)  and it takes practice! While singing, children also use hand signs to reinforce the learning. This training strengthens the auditory cortex thus making reading, writing and processing of information easier.  Aural or listening skills are learned when the child listens to the varying pitch, rhythm and harmony of a multitude of songs. Let's Play Music is an amazing brain-builder!

Brain-builder #2: Music strengthens the visual/spatial cortex and helps with math and science…

Music training also strengthens the visual/spatial areas of the brain. Spatial people solve problems in their minds-eye; they think in pictures; they understand higher forms of math and science and they are usually very creative (they dream in color while most people dream in black & white). Think about Albert Einstein whose visual/spatial areas of his brain were 25 percent larger than most people: he was an accomplished violinist and credits music with organizing his brain and helping him to solve intricate theories and problems. His friend said that Einstein used music for inspiration and that the answers to complex problems came to him in the midst of playing his violin. Studies show that when a child learns a musical instrument it primes, prepares, and develops the spatial areas of the brain in such a way that a child is able to understand science, technology, engineering and math more easily.

Brain-builder #3: Music strengthens the motor areas for brain organization and memory skills…

Learning a musical instrument and being engaged in music develops the motor areas of our brain—which are important for the development and organization of the entire neurological system. Let’s Play Music incorporates both the Orff-Shulwerk and Dalcroze teaching methods—both of which strengthen the motor areas of the brain.  Here’s how:

When a young child pounds on rhythm instruments, claps her hands, stamps her feet, snaps her fingers or marches around the room, these activities help organize the brain.  They help the child to remain focused and increase memorization skills. These types of rhythmic body movements introduced by Orff are practiced in Let's Play Music classes.

Dalcroze promotes the use of specific movements called eurhythmics.  Children move their bodies to the beat of the music and the body is trained like an instrument. Many different senses come together in the Dalcroze experience: seeing, hearing, feeling and moving.  Scientists agree that movement is an indispensable part of learning and thinking. Dancing and moving to the music, marching, singing, whistling melodies, humming tunes all boost a child’s language, listening and motor skills. They also help develop physical coordination, timing and memory.

So there you have it. If you want to build a bigger, better brain; one that functions at a higher level; one that helps children to read; increases language development; boosts memory; aids in the learning of math and science; and enhances motor skills—then start learning music. It will be the best thing you do for your brain—and your overall feeling of well-being! Plus, it is just plain fun!

My Book:

Here is a small sampling of what you find in my book to help you and your child on your musical journey:

* Why and how music builds a bigger, better brain.
* How to turn your home into a musical training center with ideas on musical games and activities for your children from utero through high school.
* Ideas to help the learning disabled child.
* How to choose an instrument and teacher, ideas to get kids to practice, and values learned from learning a musical instrument.
Resource Section: The book also has an extensive 50-page Resource Section that includes list of music to play when children are studying, lists of books and DVDs about music, music to use when teaching subjects such as animals, nature, the solar system, etc. and music for every stage of your child’s development.  Also on page 393 check out what I have to say about Let's Play Music!

The book is easy-to-read and loaded with examples and stories that will excite and motivate you to get you and your kids involved with music!

If you are interested, please visit my blog: www.goodmusicbrighterchildren  My book is available here.  

And If you're ready to join a class teaching amazing musical skills, find a Let's Play Music teacher near you now!

About Sharlene Habermeyer: Sharlene holds a Masters degree in Education from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California and a Bachelor’s degree in Art from Utah State University. She teaches college and in 1999, she started the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra. It currently boasts over 100 musicians. She will be teaching at BYU Education Week August 18-22, 2014 (8:30am in the Harris Fine Arts Building, Madsen Auditorium)  

Contact

Please “like” me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodMusicBrighterChildren

You can access my Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and other blogs throughwww.goodmusicbrighterchildren.com

Smarter Spending Through Music Lessons

Priceless Moments
The full moon shone brightly through the upstairs bedroom window and illuminated the faces of my two sleeping children. Their soft, cherub faces with parted lips and closed eyes looked so peaceful and innocent. I snuggled between them, feeling the warmth of their little bodies, smelling their sweetness, and hearing their soft breaths. I should probably go into my own bed now, I thought, but I stayed a few minutes longer, cherishing the feelings of motherly love that filled me to the brim. Moments like these are priceless.

There's no need to purchase anything to experience many of the joys in life. Yet we all need money to survive and for so many things on a daily basis. What does the scientific research say about money and happiness? How can Let's Play Music classes help you and your family increase your happiness?

Happy Money
Inspired by the book, "Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending" by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, I will touch on the answers to these questions.

 "Happy Money" outlines 5 basic principles that relate to how we spend money and our happiness level:

• Buy Experiences
• Make it a treat
• Buy time
• Pay Now, Consume Later
• Invest in Others

The wonderful Let's Play Music program allows you to utilize all these principles to increase your happiness. Here are some great quotes from the book along with some of my thoughts on how they relate to music class.
   
1. Buy Experiences:

"Think of purchases you've made with the goal of increasing your own happiness. Consider one purchase that was a material thing, a tangible object that you could keep, like a piece of jewelry of furniture, some clothing, or a gadget. Now think about a purchase you made that gave you a life experience -- perhaps a trip, a concert, or a special meal, If you're like most people, remembering the experience brings to mind friends and family, sights and smells. Which of these purchases made you happier? Faced with this question, some 57% of Americans reported that the experiential purchase made them happier than the material purchase, while only 34% reported the opposite."


Parents who spend money on Let's Play Music classes for their child are not only enriching their child's life with music, but also ensuring many unique and positive experiences. Children love coming to class because it's so fun.

Parents enjoy coming to class because it allows them to also experience the magic of Let's Play Music and create special bonding moments with their child. Parents pick up on ways to carry the experiences from class into their everyday lives.

"Research shows that experiences provide more happiness than material goods in part because experiences are more likely to make us feel connected to others. Experiential purchases not only provide us with entertaining anecdotes, but also add texture to our broader life stories."

2. Make It a Treat: 

 

"The more we're exposed to something, the more its impact diminishes."

So maybe it's a good thing we don't have music class every day! Several parents have told me about their child waking up every day and asking, "Is today music class?" I love their enthusiasm!

"In a study of working adults in Belgium, wealthier individuals reported a lower proclivity to savor life's little pleasures. They were less likely to say that they would pause to appreciate a beautiful waterfall on a hike or stay present in the moment during a romantic weekend getaway. This phenomenon helps explain why the relationship between income and happiness is weaker than many people expect. At the same time that money increases our happiness by giving us access to all kinds of wonderful things, knowing we have access to wonderful things undermines our happiness by reducing our tendency to appreciate life's small joys."

What a disturbing paradox! Here I thought having more money would make me happier. It turns out that's not true. We just need to appreciate all that we already have. Oprah Winfrey said, "The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have."

Research shows that just thinking about money can make you enjoy the pleasures of life less. So once your tuition is paid, forget about the money, and enjoy the special moments and fun times.

"Knowing that something won't last forever can make us appreciate it more. Recognizing that an end is near holds a key to happiness, helping us turn readily available comforts back into treats."

Sometimes it seems to take forever for our children to mature, but truly childhood is a fleeting experience. Children's minds only stay so malleable for a short while. Taking advantage of the music learning window makes such a difference in their lives. At the end of the three years of Let's Play Music (and possibly two years of Sound Beginnings before that), it will seem like the time has flown by!

3. Buy Time:

"What matters most for human well-being: social relationships. People experience the most positive moods of the day while spending time with family and friends. A recent study with a nationally representative sample of Americans revealed that playing with children produced more positive feelings than almost any other common daily activity."

How lucky I am to be able to spend time each week playing with and teaching children! I love that parents get to attend class with their children (twice-a-month during the 1st year, and once-a-month during the 2nd and 3rd years). I always make sure to include parents in the games and activities. I want them to experience as many positive feelings as their children!

Coming to music class and practicing the piano can mean less time in front of the television. "The average American spends the equivalent of two months per year watching television. In many countries, people spend almost as much time watching TV as they do working. If our choices reveal what we like best, TV must be pretty much the most super-terrific thing ever. And yet, study and study shows that people experience less pleasure while watching TV than while engaging in more active forms of leisure, including walking the dog. More than any other activity, television appears responsible for the failure of the U-index (a measure of happiness) to budge over the past four decades. Although people today spend less time doing unpleasant activities such as household chores, television has sucked up much of this newly available time while providing little emotional payoff. In a sample of over one hundred thousand people from thirty-two European counties, individuals who watched more than thirty minutes of television per day were less satisfied with their lives than people who watched TV for under half an hour. Watching the occasional TV show may be genuinely enjoyable, but devoting two months of the year to the tube is too much."

Let's trade TV time for music time! Coming to class, practicing, listening to the CDs, doing the games as a family are all ways to pack some happiness bang for your time and your buck.

"Time and money promote different mind-sets. We view our choices about how to spend time as being deeply connected to our sense of self. In contrast, choices about money often lead us to think in a relatively cold, rational manner. Focusing on time frees people to prioritize happiness and social relationships. For example, potential donors contribute more time and more money to charity when they're first asked about their willingness to donate time. By focusing less on money and more on time, it's easier to use both resources in happier ways."

Think about how spending money on Let's Play Music affects your time. Yes, it's something to add to your schedule, but what would you be doing with that time instead? Probably not something that will bring as much happiness or affect your life as profoundly as the wonders of a music education!

4. Pay Now, Consume Later:

Imagine you are going on a date with your spouse. You hire a babysitter, who gets paid by the hour. As the hours add up you are thinking about how much you will need to pay the babysitter and not really focusing on what you're doing. Then you need to take a taxi ride. Instead of enjoying the sights during the ride, you are thinking the whole time about how long this is taking and how much it will cost.

"Now imagine that you had prepaid for both the taxi and the babysitter the previous week. At the moment you paid, you will still experience the pain of paying. You have to suck it up at some point. But how might prepayment change your evening? When you pay for something, you experience the pain of paying. But how can prepaying for something change your experience?" If you already paid for it then you are free to enjoy the experience and not worry about the money.

"Paying now and consuming later can help us take the long view, turning us into better stewards of our own well-being." When I ask people to start registering for the next semester five months before it starts, I am helping them experience more pleasure later. It's already taken care of, so when they get their registration supplies, it feels free. Some parents pay for the entire semester at once. Not having to worry about it the rest of the semester may increase how much they can enjoy class and the whole Let's Play Music experience. It may seem like a big chunk of money, but once it's done, the peace of mind can be so worth it!

5. Invest in Others:

I will admit that I have been guilty of complaining how much my kids cost me. But did you know that the more we invest in others, the happier we are? "If you've been focusing on trying to make more money, remember that giving some of it away can be just as rewarding as getting more of it."

"The benefits of investing in others don't stop at just making you feel happier. Giving your money away can make you physically healthier, and even make you feel financially wealthier. In a study of more than a thousand older adults, individuals who provide money and other forms of support to both relatives and nonrelatives reported better overall health. This relationship held after taking into account income, mobility, and other variables."

Consider the money you spend on worthwhile activities for your children as money well-spent. Investing in your children benefits you as well as them. It's a win-win!

I hope you can see how buying the experience of music class, making class a treat, having fun with your children during class, paying for class in advance, and investing in your children can truly bring more joy and happiness into you and your family's lives! 

If you're ready to put your money to the best use, find a Let's Play Music teacher near you now!


-Kristi Ison 
Let's Play Music Teacher

How to Talk to Your Child About Practice

Long Term Vision

The first practice question that is sure to come up is simply: what behavior do you want to occur? Not too hard to answer, is it?  As an adult with perspective and vision (and access to lots of research articles), you know that your child benefits from her daily practice in ways she can't fully comprehend yet.  You want to see a cheerful response whenever you remind your child it's time to practice for the day.  

Question number two sometimes gets overlooked: what do you hope her motivation to be for that behavior?  That's what this article is about: creating a practice plan that doesn't plow ahead and leave this important  consideration in the dust.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

My biggest hopes are that my child falls in love with making music and finds a way to express herself and her creativity through this medium, that it becomes a great tool for her to relax and have fun with other musicians and family members, and that the allure of mastering challenges and creating beauty keep her gravitating to the piano of her own free will throughout her lifetime.  

A child who can tap into these intrinsic motivators will power up her own music practice for years! (even when she doesn't have me around to remind her.)

I'm guessing you are not excited to hear your child say, "I only practice so I can get my privileges," and  "I practice because I have to, because you're the boss."

You don't want her to quit music the day you are not there to give her a treat (extrinsic motivator) every day.  So what can be done?

Set the Stage
I suggest this step first because it's straightforward.  Set up your piano or keyboard in an inviting, uncluttered space.  Have your bubble and music player and alphabet pieces handy if they'll be needed this week.  If you want your child to gravitate to the piano easily, make it a pleasant experience to be at the piano. 

Why Do You Care?

Before making any other changes or plans, get a peek inside your child's mind.   Talk to your child about why you think practicing is worthwhile.  Side note: it is a great exercise for you to first pinpoint why you care about daily practice.

"Hey, come sit with me for a minute.  I'm so excited for this new semester of music to start up- you sure are learning a lot of things in class!  I've been thinking about practice...can I tell you what I notice?'

'I noticed how confident you seem when you're heading to class, fully prepared for the goals of the week. '

'I love how when you're all caught up on practice you really participate in class and show your teacher what you know.  You seem to have a lot more fun in class than on those days.' 

'It seems like you have a lot more fun at home, too, when we do it daily- it doesn't seem to be as scary or as tricky as it is if we skip a few days.  This is important to me, because I love seeing you have fun and I hope you'll love making music with me.'

'When you practice, I notice how capable you are at learning what your teacher shows you in class.  I get excited because I think you'll love some of the cool things you're going to learn next. You're so brave for learning hard new things.'

'Do you want to hear one more really cool thing?  Practicing music actually makes your brain bigger! and helps you be a better thinker and helps you learn how to work on hard things without giving up!  You're a kid who can think through hard problems and can work on hard things, even when they aren't easy at first. I'm so proud of you, and I'm proud of you when you struggle with something tricky, but you don't give up.'

Okay, reality check!  Some children can handle this whole conversation in one dose, and others might digest it better in small chunks.  I do think you do yourself a disservice if your child has no clue WHY you are asking him practice. 

Next, engage him with: 

Do you also notice that?  

Do you also feel that way?  

Can you tell me what it's like for you when you go to class prepared (or not)?  

Then sit still and listen!   If you bring up these ideas just after a successful practice, you may be rewarded with something like: "Why yes, I did really had fun playing that piece and I feel proud that I learned it in just one week.  My practice really did pay off!" 

Helping your child realize that he has fun making music and enjoys the challenge of mastering songs is your way of helping him discover the intrinsic motivation to stick with music.  

It comes from inside him: talking about the good feelings and experiences going on in there will help him be aware of it!  In the long-term, this will be a longer-lasting motivation than weekly stickers and prizes.

BUT... it takes years to nurture the intrinsic motivation. He's going to need you (extrinsic motivator/ coach) to help him stick with music lessons until he gets it.

Strategize Together

Practice time involves the student, so have the student help decide how to make practice time work.  Talk to your child about how this thing could be most enjoyable, and hear what he thinks would be enjoyable.  

"Well, you know I am excited to see you practice every day, so help me figure out what we can do to make it work really well and be most fun."

'I guess I like it best if I practice after dinner. In the morning I'm too sleepy.'
'I guess I better just do it in the morning... when I get home from school I just want to play.'
'I do like to play duets with you...that always makes practice more fun.'
'I want you to give me a prize so I can look forward to it.'
'If you help me play the games from class as part of practice, that would be fun.'
'I like it when I have a few minutes of free time to play my own stuff.'
'I like it if you play for me sometimes, so I can just listen.'
'I like it if you give me stickers to help me see my progress.'
'I like to decide the order of what I practice.'
'I like to set a timer so I know when I will be done.'
Etc.


Warning: Your child might not be able to put the above statements into words. You can read those statements to him and say "Does this sound like how you feel?"


A Written Practice Plan

Draft an agreement with your child.  Write it down, because little people have fuzzy memories when it comes to promises to practice. 

We will agree to practice after dinner and set the timer for 15 minutes, and we'll be sure to play duets at least once each week and Mom will provide cute stickers to mark of practices.

Your agreement should include a caveat: What will we do if our preferred practice time doesn't work out one day? Make a plan, because this will happen! 

What will we do if, for some reason, we miss a whole day?  Decide in advance. It will happen!

And what if your child doesn't follow through? Ask HIM for some ideas of what the result should be.

'Johnny will agree to come to the piano nicely when I remind him.  If we are too busy one day to practice in the morning, he agrees to practice before bed.  If Johnny has a tantrum he will not have any playdates that day.'

What about the adult's roles? Ask him for ideas about what you should promise to do.

'I want to be helpful to you, so I'll promise to remind you when I notice practice time is coming.  Do you prefer a 5-minute or 10-minute warning?  I'll also agree to sit by you for the first 2 practices each week, so you can get help if you need it.'

'It will break the agreement if I call you to practice and you throw a tantrum.  If you want to practice at the alternate time, will you agree to talk to me politely about it and we can decide if it will work?  If you decide not to come to the piano at all one day, that will also break the agreement- what should be the consequence if that happens?'    

For some students, the consequence of being unprepared for class may be enough.  Your child might still need extrinsic motivation (supplied by you) to get it done.  

Do what works with your parenting style.  'Can we add to the agreement that in our family, each person will practice before they play computer games?' 


Jump in, But Be Ready for Bumps!
Post your agreement and start having fun!  When the day comes that your child doesn't want to practice, lovingly inquire (and make guesses about) what makes practice hard. 

'Okay, Johnny, we're here at the piano, but you seem to be having a hard time getting started...

'Are you feeling a little nervous because this is a huge song and you are not sure where to start?  Perhaps if you just figure out the right hand for these 2 measures, and play those measures 3 times, that's enough of that song for today. '

'Are you feeling worried that this might not sound right, because you don't know it well yet? Yes, there might be a lot of mistakes today, but I love hearing your work through hard things and not give up.  Let's find the tricky part and just practice that a few times. '

'Are you feeling like this song is not much fun to play, because it's really hard and slow right now?  Yeah, songs do take a lot of work at the beginning, but I know you get faster and smoother every time you play it...and that means more fun every time!  How about if you work on this for a few minutes, and then play one that you know really well. ' 

'Are you still thinking about playing with that toy you just had, and wishing you could keep doing that right now?   Yes, that was fun, it would be nice to have more time to do that.  You'll be able to play again in 20 minutes.  I bet if we play this song a few times, you'll start having fun at piano, and the 20 minutes will pass really quickly.'

'I'm noticing that you really need to wiggle today! How about if you play through the assignments, and do five jumping jacks between each one?' 

If your child can sense that you really understand why this is so hard for him right now, he is more likely to listen to your suggestion for moving forward. 

The Unilateral Decision

Hopefully your child was able to understand some of your wisdom and reasons for encouraging daily practice.  If he's having fun in class and having fun bonding with you around the piano, he has probably bought into the practice agreement, and isn't surprised that you follow through daily to check if it's getting done.

Occasionally a child may announce he just doesn't want anything to do with music lessons.  Take time to be curious: is your child feeling over-scheduled? Feeling negative pressure associated with music lessons?  Just wishing for more playtime?  Nervous about attacking challenges?  Sad that others got a prize in class and he didn't?

Was he originally interested, and what caused a change?  If suggesting these ideas strikes a chord with your child, perhaps he can finally understand his own feelings and find out what he thinks (he may not know exactly) and help him find a strategy to get what he needs while still meeting your request for practice.

In the end, it's up to the wise parent to weigh the benefits of musical education and decide how important it is to the family.   As the parent,  you can make music lessons a unilateral decision (no voting!).  You've probably already made decisions about going to school or church and certain behaviors.  Your children learn that "that's just the way we do things in our family, and it's not up for a vote."

'Johnny, I can tell that you don't enjoy practice right now.   I really care about you, and I know there are so many great things that will come to you if we stick with the music program.  I have many dreams for you, and musicianship is one gift I want to give you.  It is very important to me that I do my part to be sure you have this gift, so I would be too sad to let you stop music lessons.  I'm going to do everything I can to help you have fun and catch my vision.  I am pretty sure that one day soon, you will!' 

Long-Term Vision

Your long-term vision is to have a child reaping the many advantages of musical education, all the while loving the adventure.  


Right now, he is young and the challenges of learning music are new.  He loves practicing music because he loves and trusts you, he loves his teacher, he is excited about prizes, he has fun with you at the piano, and he wants to avoid the consequences of missing practice.


Over time, an exciting thing will happen- he'll start finding his own enjoyment at making beautiful music, he'll find joy in overcoming the challenges of learning new material, and he'll feel the pleasure of creating.  He'll practice because he's intrinsically motivated to practice, and because he's caught your long-term vision. 


I wish you the best as you help your child catch on to your long-term vision this year!


Gina Weibel, M.S.
Let's Play Music Teacher