Mum the music coach

I am donning my coach hat as Beth's AMEB exam looms.

This requires a different approach every day, because her moods are as predictable as Melbourne's weather.

Yesterday was horrible.

She played so badly during her weekly lesson with her teacher.

And in the afternoon, she had a meltdown when I insisted she practise. She banged violently all over the keyboard like she was trying to destroy it. My mum would have had a fit if that had been my response to being told to practise! (Then again, I was such a compliant kid, I would never have dared.)

Today, she dawdled and delayed. She wouldn't put down the book she was reading. Then she took extra long in the bath. Practice time which was meant to begin at 5.30 started at 7.30.

But when she finally got round to it, she actually put in a decent performance with her pieces. Which just goes to prove she's got it but just needs to focus and be more disciplined and consistent.

I got Beth to commit to an hour of practice every day from now till 19 Nov.

She could decide how she wanted to space out her practice session: 4x15 min, 3x20min, 2x30 min.

She chose 3x20min and wrote out the practice times on her chalkboard.

Tomorrow, we begin.