Once you have selected the piano as the instrument for     your child’s music lessons, an obvious question soon         emerges. Do I need a piano for my home? Obviously,         this decision depends on a wide array of factors. One of     the most critical factors to consider is how likely is it         that both you and your child are firmly committed to       the piano. If you buy a piano for lessons and your child     only continues his or her classes for a few weeks, you         could regret your decision. The piano could end up as       nothing more than an interesting piece of furniture that    largely goes ignored.

Here is one factor to consider, does your child have a        track record of quitting things once he or she has               started? If so, then you might want to hold back a bit on purchasing a piano. However, if you are dedicated to making sure that your child will learn to play the piano, then it’s probably a decent idea to have a piano for lessons.

Having a piano in the home has a variety of advantages. For example, it means more practicing, as your young musician will have a piano in an easy to access location. However, this does not mean that you necessarily have to spend a small fortune on a piano. There are some alternatives that can be explored, such as buying a much cheaper, but effective, electronic keyboard. Don’t think about the electronic keyboards of the 1980s, as those days are long since gone. The new generations of keyboards are quite superior and have far greater capabilities than twenty or even ten years ago. For those children who are just beginning to play the piano, an electronic keyboard can make for a great temporary piano. Another excellent idea is renting a piano from the local piano store. Many stores will do a rent to own program, where they will apply a portion of your rental fees towards a purchase of a piano with their store. This can be a great way to have a piano in your home without committing to it long term if the child loses interest.
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Not everyone is cut from the same cloth, and this is a good thing!  It is often pointed out that the world would be a boring place if everyone were the same.  However, this important fact is still not pointed out enough.  We should all remember the fact that it is good that people respond differently to different events and facts. As it is often said, “variety is the spice of life.”

With this in mind, your child may respond differently to his or her first music recital.  Some children may be excited, others extremely nervous and still yet others indifferent.  The trick is to not force them into feeling or behaving in a way that will only add to their stress.  Odds are that no matter how they are acting, they have some degree of stress.  Very few children (or even adults for that matter) are completely comfortable performing in front of crowds.

A calm child is likely to perform better at a music recital than a stressed out “basket case” of a child.  Of course, you want your child motivated, but you don’t want your child to be freaked out either.  The best approach is to tell your child to take the music recital seriously and to focus and do a good job.   Instilling into your child an impression that their entire future is riding on the success of their music recital is likely to be highly counterproductive in the long run.

Reducing nervousness is a major step in the right direction.  As a parent, one of your main jobs in the music recital process is to make sure that you are calm and your child is calm.  Work to make sure that your child stays calm.  Since you know your child the best, you can think of what calming factors are best to use.

Thinking ahead is key.  Even though a music recital might be weeks or even months away, as the parent you set the tone.  The fact that you establish and maintain the tone cannot be overemphasized.  If you seem nervous about the upcoming recital, your child is likely to feel and act the same way.

If your child becomes nervous about the music recital, they could become nervous about music in general.  Let’s say, for example, that they do not love performing in public.  That fear of performing in public could get transferred onto music.  The end result could be that they don’t like music.  This is why making sure that your child is calm for a music recital is key.  If your goal is to help foster the creation of a lifelong lover of music, art, creativity and learning, then you and your child are best served by making the process a calm and positive one.

To make sure your child keeps their nervousness to a minimum. Make sure they practice on a consistent basis before the recital. Regular consistent practice in better than waiting till the last minute and trying to learn their music the week before recital. Speak positively with your child that a recital is an opportunity for them to share with friends and family what they have been working on in their music lessons leading up the music recital performance. Performing in public is much like speaking in public, it takes practice. So preparing to the best of your abilities and doing the job they can is all you can ask for as a parent. Remember if you stay calm and let your children know that a recital is just as exciting for them as it is for you then it can be an opportunity for both of you to appreciate and enjoy the event.