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Who here has taken piano lessons?  Anyone have children who are taking or have taken piano lessons?  What would you say the pros and cons are for children taking lessons?  Were you 'forced' to?  Would you 'force' your kids?

I think DD would really benefit from lessons, but she doesn't want them so for now I'm not forcing the issue.  She's content to teach herself by ear and with a beginner's book, which is all I ever had.  In hindsight, I wish I had lessons.

We had a piano growing up. My parents never had me take lessons, but my younger sister did, and I have to admit I was green with envy! I tried to learn some on my own, but never got much further than "chopsticks" and a U2 song a friend taught me!

I think whether or not it is an enjoyable experience versus a chore depends a lot on the teacher. My one friend took lessons from our crazy Chorus teacher and hated it. But, another friend took lessons from a college student, and loved it!

Even if she is not interested in lessons right now, she may be in the next couple years, once she has reached a point where she has taught herself as much as she could. Maybe just wait a little while, then broach the subject again, or have her do it on a trial basis and see if she likes it.

I took lessons for a short period of time.  I really liked it, and I was not pushed.  In fact, I think I had to beg!

Jen, if DD is anything like you she's got a gift for music.  I think not pushing her is key to her enjoyment of it; and once she decides to go for it on her own, she's pre-disposed to be good at it so she will not be at a disadvantage with her peer group, KWIM?  :)

I took lessons for years and was pretty good.  I really liked it until it started interfering with me being a neurotic pre-teen. ;)

W is going to take lessons when her dance season is over with (end of June)

I guess this is one of those things that I'll just wait on and see what unfolds.  One friend at work suggested making "a" musical instrument part of her education, i.e. require her to learn one instrument, but let her choose it.  It's an interesting way to approach it.

I think that's a neat idea, and a great approach!  I hope she doesn't pick drums!  LOL   :lol:

this is what we did with DD.  We wanted her to have one sport and one 'arts' and for a while it was between guitar and piano and she finally picked piano (I think actually because the guitar hurt her fingers ;))