CONFESSIONS OF A MUSIC MOM: Moutain High, Valley Low By: Mrs. Gray
12
If you have ever been on a journey, I am sure that
would revisit our goals and look at the big picture,
you have learned that it's not always a straight
the "why" behind what she was doing. Doing this
shot. But that there are winding roads, highs, and
helped my daughter realize that the challenge
lows, and challenges are inevitable. Your child's
she was facing would not last always and that
musical journey happens the same way. As your
she should not make a permanent decision
child progresses, you will find them on the
based upon a temporary situation. So parents,
mountain top, where everything is going their way.
make sure that your child understands the "why"
During these high moments, you will find that they
behind what they are doing. This will help your
are practicing independently and are easily
child see beyond the immediate challenges and
grasping the information. However, there will be
understand that challenges are all a part of the
times, where your child will find themself in the
musical journey. They will begin to realize that as
valley. In the valley, things become challenging,
they overcome these challenges they get closer
and it takes extra effort for them to progress.
to achieving their goals! If I could be honest with
During this time, your child can lose motivation,
you, this lesson wasn't always easy for me to learn
stop practicing on their own, and it may even
as a parent. Sometimes it just seemed easier to
seem as though they have lost interest altogether.
allow her to quit and move on to the next thing.
What do you do when your child's musical journey
However, when I began to see it transcend into
takes them from the mountain top to the valley
other areas of my daughter's life outside of music,
low? One of the keys to our daughter's successful
I began to see how valuable this principle was!
musical journey was to keep our eyes on the big
She was learning to persevere through challenges,
picture. When we faced challenging moments, we
and that in itself was priceless!
