Every kid loves crafts, though many may not love the Arts. I have been teaching my older two to play the piano for some time now, and in an effort to foster a love and appreciation of this art I handed them blank music paper to write their own songs. I figured it would help them remember the technical aspects such as time signatures, bar lines, and rests, and it has. However, the unforeseen consequences are starting to make me rethink my approach.
All of their free time in the past few days has revolved around writing the newest, greatest song. They seem to be in competition with one another, furiously composing an entire page of increasingly harder music, all the while completely ignoring the piano or any semblance of melody in the process. The finished masterpiece is then hurried to the piano for its debut, which they ask me to perform. If this was the end of the mashed notes, sounding sometimes like an orca in the throws of death, the day could continue on in relative peace. But unfortunately it is only the beginning. They studiously practice their pieces and each other's until the piano itself cries out in pain. At least we didn't start out on the violin!
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