Alan & Brenda Leonard

> Lately, I have to "remind" her to practice, and of her commitment,
> and it's becoming a real pain! I've told her that it is her choice
> to continue with the instrument or not, but if she's going to
> continue, practice is part of the package deal. I'm paying for
> weekly lessons, it doesn't make sense to do that if she's not willing
> to put in the practice time. I think she's just bored with it right
> now.
> I had considered stopping paying for lessons
> until she gets interested again, but she'll lose so much if she lets
> it slide for a year or more.

Can you see this as less of a all or nothing situation? What if you don't
bug her about practicing? What if she doesn't practice for a couple of
weeks? What if she goes unprepared to her lessons for a month? I can tell
you from the teacher's perspective that she wouldn't be the first student
I've had come unprepared, and likely not the last.

Is it likely that your daughter is going to let is slide for a year or more,
or would she merely like a break? Does she like the music she's playing, or
would she like to try something totally different -- jazz, fiddle, rock,
etc? Is there a problem with the teacher that she hasn't mentioned yet?

I try hard to let my son's piano practice just happen, although if I haven't
heard the piano in a few days I might mention missing hearing him play.
Sometimes that gets him going, sometimes it doesn't. I don't particularly
care either way, since it's far more important to me that his childhood
memories aren't filled with a nagging Mommy but with music as fun.

Finally, if she wants to play flute, perhaps she could borrow one from a
friend to try out, or save up her allowance to help buy a used one. Again,
it's not all or nothing; lots of kids play two instruments!

brenda