"I want to QUIT"

We've heard this phrase from the three years old through teenagers. There will come a time when your child reaches a level of frustration or overwhelm, quite possibly not even related to practicing the violin, and yet the dreaded phrase comes out. More often then not, when teachers hear this phrase it is accompanied by the parents concern of, "maybe my child just doesn't like the violin anymore. Maybe we should try something else."

The problem surrounding the issue, "I want to quit violin" is that we can treat music lessons as an extra part of our lifestyle. Even though as Suzuki teachers we relate learning music to the importance of brushing our teeth, eating our vegetables, exercising, doing homework, etc. it still seems like music can be last on the list of things to do in a day. But does it need to be?

How often does your child fight you on bed times or taking a bath, eating their well balanced meal or finishing their homework? We all have times when we want to quit everything in our lives. But when we make the decision as to what will fit into our lifestyle, it shouldn't matter how many "I QUITs" are thrown out there. Music will not be going anywhere. Your child will thank you one day for not letting them quit music lessons and for helping them make practice fun and worthwhile. I am so grateful to my mom for making music an important part of our lifestyle, especially during the times when I didn't want to do it anymore.

Communicate with your teacher regularly when the "I Quits" come around and come up with a game plan for moving forward. As much as we feel our situations are unique and they are in many ways, WE ARE NEVER ALONE. Someone else has felt what you are feeling and has gone through similar struggles. Most likely your teacher has dealt with similar situations and will give you some things to try. Bring up your concerns at the next parent education night! Suzuki Violin lessons are not just about building a community for the kids, but a support system of parents who all care about the same things. Keep being the amazing parents that you are and stay strong with what you know is the best for your kids!

See you all at the next Parent Education night on Valentines Day, Tuesday February 14th!

P.S. Maggie is now 2 months old!