I’m starting to take just a little responsibility for my kids’ music lessons. Kate’s been taking violin lessons for over four years (three of them with wrong teachers) and I’m just beginning to sit down with her to count out her measures. And to do note reading theory with Ellie and Matthew. Some part of me (large) knows my limitations (as in I do not play an instrument and never really learned this stuff), and some part (not quite as large, but still looming) recognizes that I pay someone monthly to teach them this stuff.
But it’s like school. If I were the mom who expected the teaching to all be done by the teacher, I’d have the kids who learned only what curriculum was in the actual classroom. But since I’m the mom who expects (demands) earlier, later, deeper, and generally beter learning, I have very bright (yeah, gifted – so what?) kids who like to learn.
The point? If I want them to be gifted at their instruments, I should push for more, better, and extended music learning too. (But do I? Really, only if they care.)