Article by Mike Murphy
Guitar lessons for kids are a great idea. It helps expand their mind by giving them a creative outlet to express their feelings and it's a skill they can work on alone as well as share with others. Music brings joy to many people's lives and children love it when they are able to do something that not every child is able to do. It gives them a sense of pride.
However, it pains me to hear parents say "how do I keep my child from quitting guitar lessons?" The first thing that pops into my head is "who wants the guitar lessons? Is it the parent or the child?" I love music and I have two little girls myself. I got my first guitar when I was 5 and I wanted nothing to do with it but my dad wanted me to play because he played. I know now that this is not the correct approach. Before you go shelling out the money for guitar lessons for kids, the very first thing that needs to be done is to find out if the child WANTS guitar lessons.
My oldest daughter is 4 years old at the time of writing. I've got guitars all over the house and she has seen me play them since birth. Before she was born, I bought a tiny little acoustic guitar and tucked it away just in case she took an interest. Sure enough, she asked to play my guitars and naturally they were way too big so last Christmas, I gave her the little guitar and she was ecstatic.
The point is, children need to discover music and all you have to do is expose them to it. Once they show a natural interest, then guitar lessons become a viable option. Let's go over some ways to keep your child from quitting these guitar lessons...
- be sure that guitar lessons are what THEY want
- maintain their interest in playing guitar by showing interest yourself (ask them what they're working on, play along with them, have them put on a "show")
- don't push them too hard. Yes, kids need to practice guitar to become good at it, but if they practice so much that it's painful and unpleasant, they will want to quit.
- put up with the noise. It's not going to sound pretty at first. Being tolerant of the less than beautiful music and encouraging them to play anyway will make them feel free to explore their new craft without feeling restricted.
- instill a sense of pride. Praise breeds progress I always say. Nothing will keep your child motivated more than showing them how proud you are that they're doing so well with learning to play the guitar
If you're ready to get your little guitar hero on the right track to learning to play guitar, you'd be well advised to look carefully at some of the top learn guitar programs available.I've reviewed some of the best (and some of the worst) learn to play guitar courses available today.
About the Author
Mike Murphy is a guitarist with over 20 years experience live and in the recording studio.
To read Mike's honest reviews of which guitar courses are great and which are nasty, go to Online Guitar Programs.com right now and download a copy of Mike's book "Fretboard Freedom"
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