"No reading at the breakfast table"

One of my gorgeous kids performing at the Opera House So I've started (in case you're not sure what I'm up to, I'm aiming for a year where we do/consume/own less so that we have time for more great, fun, important stuff  - check out my original post here ). Over the past few weeks I've been working towards make the very difficult decision to stop our kids learning the piano.  I know that for some of my readers will be like "Yeah, whatever", but others will be shocked. I'm in a bit of shock and grief myself.   I really enjoy playing the piano and I so wanted my kids to have that same enjoyment and opportunity to learn.  It's pretty deeply embedded in my set of values that feel important to me which is why it's a big deal to let go of it.  Plus it's been a lot of hard work to keep them motivated, to get them to lessons etc. (8 years of it for some the kids!). But … here's what made me rethink it. 1.  With five learning the pia...

I say an ordinary mum because a lot of the kids I know who are super musicians have parents who are professionals or they have tiger mothers. I don't know what they're doing at home but what I do know for sure is that their kids play a lot better than mine in a shorter amount of time.  Actually, I kind of do know, but don't want to admit it.  They just practice a lot. So I humbly offer what I've learnt as an ordinary mortal about helping my kids with their music. 1.   They will want to quit - often.  Don't give in.  There are so many great reasons for persevering with music.  Plus you've forked out quite a lot of money so you need to be sure you want to cave in. 2.  They might weep in frustration - often.  It is not easy learning an instrument.  If another person says, 'O, your kids are sooo talented' I might do some physical harm.  It is just hard work (for all of us). 3.  Get them to listen to the pieces they are learnin...

This scene is typical of my life.  I spend many hours each week helping my kids with their music practice.    I enjoy it - mostly, when there aren't tantrums of frustration.  After helping my kids for almost 7 years I think I have learnt a lot about how to help them and have grown in new depths of patience.  There is still a way to go!

Last night I had the great privilege of seeing my two older kids play at the Sydney Opera House.  Aidan plays the trumpet, Neave the clarinet and their school band was selected to play a piece at the NSW Department of Education's Primary Choral Festival.  A huge choir (700 kids) performed most of the items but other bands and soloists performed between the choir's items. Aidan is at the front left (slumping in his seat). Neave is on the right in the  second row. Hope you have good eyesight! Our school is an average size school for Sydney.  But we have an amazing band program which is entirely parent run and funded.  We get lots of support from the teaching staff.  Our school librarian went with the children to the rehearsal in the morning and was back there again from 5.30pm to supervise the kids for the evening.  I spotted our school principal in the audience with her husband. It was a brilliant concert.  Kids singing and performing toge...

Last weekend A and N performed at the Sydney Opera House.  It sounds a lot grander than it actually is.  They play in a one hour concert with about 25 other kids.  It is a part of the Suzuki method that our kids are following. As I'm convincing my children to practice their music each day I do often ask myself (and they ask me) why we're going through all the agony of endless practicing! Rowan and I gained a lot of pleasure from being able to play instruments when we were teenagers.  I played the piano and violin and Rowan the clarinet, guitar and bass guitar.  Rowan's guitar is very handy for live entertainment at children's birthday parties!  We were also able to contribute a lot to our churches when we were older teenagers and learnt a lot about serving our church communities in this way. When I was a teenager I enjoyed being involved in musicals at school and orchestral groups.  I liked that I wasn't simply defined by how well I did or didn...