Our Music Life 8 Years Later

It is fun to imagine what life will be like in the next 8 years. To set goals, to predict and to dream. It is very interesting to read something that I wrote 8 years ago on music and practicing with children.

I will reminisce on what our music lives were like at that time. My younger boys were 8,6, and 3 years old. I practice what I preached and practiced music with them about 5 days a week. At 16 the oldest was on his way as a musician, performing in talent shows locally and nationally. He wasn't talking many lessons, but was using his music in different avenues.

Our 14 year old was on her own practicing and taking piano, viola, and violin lessons. She was in several orchestras and symphonies and had several students of her own. They had the foundation, the sky was the limit to where they wanted to go with their learned and practiced talents. I say learned and practiced talents because they had formal lessons and a parent to practice with them. They learned to practice and govern themselves over the last 10 -12 years.

Now 8 years later our oldest three are all supporting themselves with their music. The oldest two are married and starting a family. They are making a lot more money with teaching music and performing than if they were washing dishes.( I always asked them if they wanted to get $5 an hr. washing dishes or $50 and hr. playing music) I have seen their music take them places, and give them opportunities that they never would have received before.

I just went to a dinner/show and rode on a covered wagon, got rated by Indians and met people all over the world. The fiddler was amazing and the crowd loved him. After his solo I ran on stage and gave him a kiss on the cheek and stuck $5.00 in his pocket. Because that is a mothers pay back for the dedication of taking kids to lessons no matter what, encouraging them to practice, sometimes bribing them to practice, and paying for and being their cheerleader for 10 years of lessons. Also the joy of spending one on one time with your child, being a taxi, and going to many of concerts.

The best part of the night was riding in a covered wagon back to civilization and having the favorite part of the show, the fiddler, my son, sitting in the back of the wagon, serenading us all the way. Then jumping in the car to come home with the star of the night.

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