"Lessons" with Connor

So I have begun "teaching" Connor some piano lessons.  I chose to teach him myself because of a few reasons.  One, I can teach him whenever it is convenient for me; two, I wasn't sure any of the local teachers were ready for a TYPICAL 1st grade boy; third, most teachers think 1st grade is too early to start.  So we are moving slowly, but methodically.

They are mostly going well.  But since we teach them into the night (7ish) I know he is tired and so am I :).  So, I should preface this by saying the circumstances were not the most conducive to a good piano lesson.  Nevertheless, I was a bit surprised at what happened tonight.  I try to give him three songs to "practice" two times each day and then play them for pass-off on Mondays.  He was struggling with a song and he started crying.  I continued to help him keep going and continue trying.  He was overwhelmed when he was making mistakes.  This is where I was surprised.  See, I am more of a coach than a teacher, so I tend to REALLY push my students HARD to do the best they can (remember, Mom IS Japanese, so it is in me!).  I got really annoyed at Connor and wanted to push him hard.  But I tried to hold back a bit but keep on encouraging him.  Instead of stopping, I just asked him to play it again and agin until he got it. 

Of course in two tries he got it.  It really wasn't that big a deal , but to him it was SO HARD.  Hmmm... normally people say that sports teach the concept of "never giving up".  I haven't thought of music teaching that same technique.  So, now I will call our lessons- "life lessons" :)- and I didn't even think I would be so frustrated with him... a lesson for me as well.

He did well- we brought Dad and Anna in to hear it and he did it perfectly.  He was proud of himself for not giving up.  It was tempting so let him stop, but making him stick with it helped him to learn that he could do it.  I guess I will be the mother that is demanding and pushy.  But I will try to do it with a smile :)!