Pressure is one of the main reasons, in my opinion, that can make or break a child continuing to play an instrument.
Now i personally find one of the hardest things about my children learning an instrument, is the balance between enthusiasm/excitement and playing it cool.
I know from my younger days that too much emphasis on me and my learning, kind of switched me off. It sometimes felt like there was pressure to keep going. Having support is key and people who genuinely want to listen and encourage is excellent. But it’s when its starts too feel a bit more than this, and the encouragement turns to over-excitement, then to pressure, that’s when problems can appear.
Pressure for any young child can be detrimental and totally make the child lose interest in playing. It’s best to play the whole thing cool. Always allow your child to make the decision if they are to play or not. A gentle nudge in the right direction will be ok, but any more than that may be too much for the child.
Remember, learning an instrument is about having fun. It doesn’t have to be about their career or anything of the sort. Fun! Fun! Fun! If there is no pressure, then your child can safely make the right decision to continue playing or not, and you will feel happy in the knowledge that they are happy with their choice.
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