Dawson received a really nice guitar from my dad this summer. And then I came upon a great opportunity for him to receive group beginner's guitar lessons, geared toward homeschool students. The cost is soooo cheap, only $25 a month for 6 total hours of instruction, one afternoon a week (instead of in the evening .. yay!). And, the lessons are at a small church just down the street from our subdivision. This is great for us because we live about 5 miles outside of town, so anything we do usually requires at least a 15 minute drive, if not more. I just felt like it was a God thing.
Dawson was very reluctant to start the lessons because he was afraid he would show up and be the only 6'2" person with a group of 6 year olds. He is the tallest one there, by a long shot, and the oldest kid, but there are boys and girls of all ages and even a couple of moms.
He has really taken to it! I have always felt that if my kids are involved in extracurricular activities, that I have to beg them to participate in, that it's not worth the time or money. I only want them involved in activities that they enjoy so much that I don't have to tell them to practice. And that is what has happened with these guitar lessons.
I hear Dawson upstairs practicing every single day without ever having to be reminded. Yesterday he asked me if he could take some time to practice before his lesson because he wanted to read ahead and work on the material they would be going over next. I saw him writing down the notes to the songs and then he went to practice.
He told me, when he started lessons, that he would NOT participate in a concert or recital. He hates to be in front of people.
But when I picked him up from lessons this time, I asked him how he did. He said that he learned how to play "Ode to Joy", that they are playing at their Christmas concert, and that his instructor told him that if he could play chords that he would want him to play the chords with him (the instructor) at the concert. I asked him if he was going to learn the chords and he said, "Yes."
I am so proud of him! Guitar has been a huge confidence booster! He feels awesome about how well he is doing so quickly, and the encouragement he is receiving from his instructor has been so great!
I hope this is something he continues to work at and enjoy.
Dawson was very reluctant to start the lessons because he was afraid he would show up and be the only 6'2" person with a group of 6 year olds. He is the tallest one there, by a long shot, and the oldest kid, but there are boys and girls of all ages and even a couple of moms.
He has really taken to it! I have always felt that if my kids are involved in extracurricular activities, that I have to beg them to participate in, that it's not worth the time or money. I only want them involved in activities that they enjoy so much that I don't have to tell them to practice. And that is what has happened with these guitar lessons.
I hear Dawson upstairs practicing every single day without ever having to be reminded. Yesterday he asked me if he could take some time to practice before his lesson because he wanted to read ahead and work on the material they would be going over next. I saw him writing down the notes to the songs and then he went to practice.
He told me, when he started lessons, that he would NOT participate in a concert or recital. He hates to be in front of people.
But when I picked him up from lessons this time, I asked him how he did. He said that he learned how to play "Ode to Joy", that they are playing at their Christmas concert, and that his instructor told him that if he could play chords that he would want him to play the chords with him (the instructor) at the concert. I asked him if he was going to learn the chords and he said, "Yes."
I am so proud of him! Guitar has been a huge confidence booster! He feels awesome about how well he is doing so quickly, and the encouragement he is receiving from his instructor has been so great!
I hope this is something he continues to work at and enjoy.
Oh.My.Goodness Dawson reminds me of Bradley. He said the same thing when he started violin last week, "I am not going to recitals and playing in front of people", but after the first lesson, he had changed his mind.
ReplyDeleteSo excited to see these boys let their creative nature present itself. I look forward to hearing a recording of that Christmas recital. :)
Thanks also for your comment this morning. I never thought of audio books ... that's a must!
This is so cool. My brother is a guitar player - he started when he was 13. He was in a band for a while, but grew out of it. He is 36 now and plays for sheer enjoyment. I love listening to him play. Go Dawson!
ReplyDeleteUm, 6'2" in 9th grade?! At 14?! Wow!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, so glad that he LOVES guitar! What a great experience for him!
My son took guitar as a 6-8 year old, but grew to dislike it so we stopped. He has no interest in learning another instrument now. :( But my daughter just had her 2nd clarinet lesson at the school and she LOVES it!