Why did you start your kids early with violin?
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I get asked this question frequently. Below I am sharing my experience starting music lessons with my children before their fourth birthday. I know every family is different and parental-child dynamics are different. I am no expert just sharing my personal story.
I didn’t always think I would start my children at an early age with music lessons. It started very organically. However, the decision to continue lessons, despite all the resistance I met in the first few years, was very conscious.
My sister played the violin when she was younger and throughout highschool. We went to visit my family one winter break and E (my oldest daughter) saw her play. A few days after we returned home I found her “playing the violin” with her toy guitar and a pencil. That was my cue! E was a few months shy of 4. I researched a couple of violin teaching methods before deciding on the Suzuki Method. Using this Suzuki website I was able to find a teacher who also happened to live 1 block away from us. I contacted her right away. But before we could have a lesson with her she wanted me to read the book called Nurtured By Love. Seriously I was a little confused as to why I needed to read the book. But I went ahead and read it because she was so adamant about me reading it before we met. I am so glad I did!
In the book Dr. Suzuki explains first and foremost that genius is create through hard work and dedication not something someone is simply born with. He also delves into the importance listening is to learning to play violin, the dynamics of learning between siblings, parental involvement and so on. In the book the author explains that because younger siblings have been exposed to music by their older siblings they can learn to play much faster. It was then that I realized the younger the better. The first two years of E playing was hard. I was learning just as much as she was. I didn’t know anything about violins and how to help a young child learn music. There were times when we would both cry. There was one time I took her to her lesson literally kicking and screaming. Suzuki method requires parents to be present during the lessons and act as the teacher at home. That was completely different than the traditional method I was familiar with from my childhood. Bottom line was that I figured E and I would have to hash it out and learn to coexist with the music lessons and daily practices right then and then and by the time she was old enough to really talk back she would be playing well enough to avoid the early growing pains.
When our younger child was 2.5 we started violin lessons and she took off with minimal effort on my part. Today, four years later and after many different teachers we have settled on a teacher we all love. Although we don’t always have great days it’s so much easier than it was at the start. Hindsight is 2020. Looking back I can see all the mistakes I’ve made on this journey but I am grateful WE stuck with it. Our children have benefitted so much from having music in their lives from an early age. It has given them the confidence to know that hard work pays off and goal setting can bring real personal happiness.
Here is an interesting article about this topic. When do you think children should start music lesson or what has your experience with music been? Let me know in the comments below?
