"When I was your age..."
Yep, I'm one of those Moms whose heart skips a beat every time one of my children does something I remember doing at their age! There haven't been too many of those opportunities yet since they are all so young and my memory doesn't trail back much further than 5, but with my oldest beginning to play the piano this month, I've found myself smiling as his little fingers found the same notes mine did 25 years ago...
The book he's learning from was mine! My mom sent me all my old piano books recently, and just now has Ryder become interested in sitting down and learning to play a written song.
Here's are his first songs...C-D-E and C-B-A :)
This was the first song I learned as a little girl...
I love to think back when Ryder was a baby, and John (the music teacher) had a plan for our son. At the ripe age of 2 he would begin piano, and then after that, he would pick his instrument of choice :) I'm not denying that children can begin to pick up music at an early age...they certainly can, but I'm more chuckling at the idea of us having an idea for Ryder that didn't end up panning out in the timeline we thought it may.
Since arriving in IL and going through coursework for his doctorate in Music Education, John has taken MANY more classes on educational psychology than anything having to do with music :) Don't you love that! One of the best things he has learned (according to me) has been HOW kids learn new things, and in his case...music. He's found that it's so important for children to explore before they are told they have to do this or that with any instrument.
So...in our house, we have a keyboard, drums, guitars, and a bunch of little instruments that make a lot of noise :) It's my nature as an educator to have a goal for my kids, and to make a plan to reach those goals. It's been so good to learn that the "plan" for this stage of their music education is to let them guide their learning...to let them explore and when they express interest, begin a routine of more formal lessons...
I'm so excited those days are here for Ryder!!! With his perfectionistic personality, our biggest challenge is helping him understand that the learning process includes making mistakes, and that's okay! We learn so much from making mistakes, but it's so hard for Ryder to not be
de-railed by each wrong note plunked on the piano before him...
I wonder where he gets this one from?
(I'm working on it!...or I should say, God is working on me!!!)
Thank you Jesus, for a way to connect with my boy, and another reminder to me that your definition of perfection means something very different than a 5 year old playing the right notes on the piano...I think you smile much brighter over the choice we make to spend time together, praising you in the process of learning with a heart that is thankful for family and music :)
