How to get a distracted, disinterested child to practise for a piano exam

Have discovered that the best strategy for getting Beth to practise is to catch her in a good mood, keep her that way with lots of positive strokes and humour (no matter how quirky or silly), and have short intensive bursts (such as during commercials for X Factor) rather than long sessions (anything more than 15 min straight) at the keyboard.

It's taken a long time to refine the strategy down to these terms.

The exam's in four days, but as they say, better late than never.

I'm gonna restrain myself from any negativity between now and Friday and just encourage her to offer her best.

She went for her second Solo Festival at Yamaha yesterday. I was so relieved that her performance went pretty well, considering how she's been temperamentally. She definitely redeemed herself after the disastrous rendition of Menuett by Mozart three months ago.