Practicing your instrument

I can see the 10 year mark of lessons with my children.  I've been sitting through lessons with my children longer than I took lessons myself!  The habit of practicing is deeply engraved in our lifestyle.  The current challenge is finding the balance of helping four children fit practice into their personality and daily rhythms.  I've got early birds and night owls in this family.

The music "corner" of the dining room.  Second year of playing photo is back drop.

I am blessed to basically have the whole day as a choice in which they can make time to practice.  I find that the youngest children are brightest and happiest in the morning.  We take the time early to expend their energy towards lessons and practice.

By keeping the violins hung in the dining room, they are always in sight.  Any time of the day or night we eat (and it's about all day long around here!) we see them hanging there.  This keeps music always on our mind.  I might here a little Twinkle Little Star song being played at random times of the day, but I like that.

In our dining room you can also find a basket filled with basic musical instruments and a child's piano.  While listening to beautiful music together, toddlers and children are encouraged to find and play an instrument here.  

The instruments range from shakers to bells to cymbals and even a little dancing rainbow wand.  This basket tends to be the most attractive thing to visitors.  And if those instruments become too overwhelming for parents trying to speak...it's easily cleaned up on a simple swoop of the basket.  

 This is the third year that we also hear a clarinet being practiced.  Other instrument lessons include recorder, harmonica and piano.  In order to liven things up, we have jam sessions where we all take out an instrument and play.  Sometimes we play the same songs, other times you will find it to more like a real band room in which four or five songs are being played!  (then I'm ready again for the quiet!)
You can see the Trinity Icon that hangs over the dining room table in the reflection in the window.  The recorders sit on that ledge.

The clarinet, too, has a place to be visible.  A homemade stand by PopPop.  

Simple, but perfect and stable.  St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians keeps watch there.  And perhaps helps to make those practice sessions more joyful?

To bullet point it, I think these things help to make practicing in our house more consistent:

+introduce music early (before age 8-our first child was 3)

+keep instruments visible

+ have short lessons (20 minutes or less)

+practice often (more than once a day and always on lesson day, this can be most helpful for an older child who might need to include an hours worth of practicing...just break it into three parts throughout the day)

+listen to beautiful music daily

+try lots of different instruments for the perfect fit

+don't give up if your first year seems slow

(we are half way into the first year with our 4th violinist!)

Do we use rewards?  No.  Children are free to keep a sticker chart for themselves, but I don't do it.  I don't currently have anyone using one, although my son enjoyed doing one when he was 5.  

Are there punishments?  No.  If a time of day isn't working for practice, it's time to try something new for us.