7 Things to Do When Your Child Loses Interest in Learning Music

It’s common for children, at some point in their music journey, to completely lose interest in taking lessons altogether. This may be due to not having the right teacher, being overwhelmed, and peer pressure, to name a few. Many adults who quit music lessons as a child now look back and wish they had stuck with it. While parents who are conscience of this are often able to help their child get through urge to quit, many have difficulties identifying the cause for the child’s lost interest. To help you navigate through this situation if it occurs, check out our top key identifiers.
 

#1: Does your child relate to their teacher?

Being great at playing an instrument doesn’t necessarily equate to being a great teacher. One thing we’ve learned is that a great teacher is not only talented with music, but also good with people. Finding a teacher that a student feels comfortable with is extremely important in keeping them engaged in each lesson. Another thing to consider is whether the teacher is familiar with the music your child loves to listen to. If they can learn the music they love, it can make the learning process much smoother.
 

#2: Is your child involved in too many extracurricular activities?

While it may seem like a smart move to involve your child in as many activities as possible, to find out what they’re good at, often this can be overwhelming. If your child seems exhausted, sit down with them and figure out what can be changed.
 

#3: Are you giving your child enough support?

Encouraging your child, without pressuring them, is an important factor to consider. Talk to your child, celebrate their wins (i.e. learning a new song), and discuss how they feel about their lessons in general. When they feel like they’re being forced to learn, they can often lose the enjoyment of learning.
 

#4: Is your child being bullied or pressured from their peers to quit?

Bullying is an issue that some children experience, unfortunately. If a child is being made fun of by their peers, it can be enough for them to want to quit. Talk to your child so they don’t have to go through this alone. Give them words of encouragement to help them overcome this challenge.
 

#5: Is there another lesson type/instrument they’d prefer?

Maybe they’re just not into the instrument they’re learning. Talk to them and see if they’d like to switch to something else. There is nothing wrong with experimenting to find out what your child enjoys learning the most.
 

#6: If they’re learning in-person, would they prefer learning virtually?

Sometimes being in a familiar place (at home) relieves the stress of social anxiety, making it easier for your child to learn. Virtual learning is becoming more common due to the covid-19 pandemic and serves as a great alternative to in-person learning.
 

#7: Are lessons moving too quickly for your child?

Everyone learns at different paces and if it’s moving too fast for your child, they may become frustrated and lose interest. Discuss this with your child and their teacher to make sure they’re keeping up and learning is moving at a comfortable pace for them. Good teachers will make this adjustment once it is communicated, since they may not be aware of the problem to begin with.
 
And that’s it. Make sure to look out for these signs and communicate with your child throughout their journey. If you know they’re happy, they’ll learn faster and actually enjoy the process.