Decision made (not earthshakingly important)

[CynthiaOK]

A little over a month ago I posted about my 10th grade son wanting to quit either Boy Scouts or piano. He felt totally overwhelmed with his workload. After talking about it, I asked that he give it one month where he was doing his whole workload (school, work, scouts, etc.) and see if he still felt that way. He agreed. He still felt overwhelmed.

I had given notice to his teacher that this was happening and to be prepared for...whatever. She tried to offer various solutions (shorter lessons, easier pieces, no competitions, etc.), but he had his heart set on quitting. When he told her, last week, that he would be quitting, she still tried to offer concessions. His comment was that it was like the episode of Seinfield where George tries to break up with his girlfriend and she won't let him :lol:

So today is our first day without any piano lessons. I'm curious to see how uses his "free" time. While discussing it with him over the past month, I think the problem is that he is getting bored with piano. I did suggest that maybe he consider taking drum lessons and his eyes lit up. So...I'm not sure he's overwhelmed, but rather just tired of doing the same ol' thing.

He does appear relieved...and so am I.

[Tammyla]

Now that my dd is fourteen, it does feel like there just isn't enough time for everything. Her piano lessons are something we've discussed here too, but the teacher comes to our house and after reading your break up story...I wonder if we could actually do it.

I'm glad it worked out and that he was able to make the decision after the newness and overwhelming part of the year was behind him. Those first few weeks were a nightmare here for my teen.

[Heather in Savannah]

Cynthia, I'm glad to hear that you have settled on a solution. My dd was exactly like your son....8 yrs of piano lessons, and getting tired of the whole routine. So we decided that she had met the requirement of one highschool music credit, and that should could stop....that was June 2008. Guess what she is doing now - and she asked to do this? She started last week taking piano lessons from a homeschool Mom who trains all the youth at church in playing by ear. My dd is thrilled, because she is learning to play the music she hears on her favourite Christian radio station, as well as what we sing at church and within her youth group. I think what was happening was that she needed to see some purpose in the music she was studying, and now she has. She will be able to play with our music ministry team at some point in the future. Yeah!!! Just goes to show that all those hours and $$'s have a point beyond education.

[FloridaLisa]

But my guess is that music has become a part of him and that he will gravitate back to it. When he does, he will really own it.

It does break your heart a bit though doesn't it? :tongue_smilie:
Lisa

[Vicki]

My older ds took violin for many years. At one point he stopped taking lessons for about 6 months. I think he just needed the break. He did ask to go back to violin lessons and we did, with a different teacher. Later on he took classical guitar lessons.
God bless,
Vicki

[Margaret in CO]

We're taking a break from violin lessons and orchestra this semester. It's breaking my heart. I think she'll come back to it, though.