A Little Bit Tiger Mother

I have music on the brain. While I love music and always have music on, there is a reason for an increased cognizance: music is now being played in our home - not simply listened to.

Sweet Cheeks has been asking to play the violin for years now. Yes, she's only 5, but it's been years since she has wanted to play. My niece plays the violin, and when we visited Arizona earlier this year she lent us her teeny, tiny violin. It's a 1/16, meaning it's 1/16th the scale of a full size violin. It's adorable, although doesn't boast the most  pleasing tone.

Lessons have begun and practices are held regularly. Lessons are wonderful. Practices are not. They are a bit reminiscent of the practice sessions with her daughter Lulu that Amy Chua described in her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. But it's better than when I was attempting to teach her. (Yes, I played violin as a girl. No, I'm not any good. At one time I had potential, alas I quit to involve myself in other high school related pursuits. And I never practiced.)

I will admit that I'm hard on my girls. I have high expectations, particularly of Sweet Cheeks. I see what she is capable of  and it drives me crazy when she tries to be lazy. In terms of violin lessons, these high expectations coupled with a clash of personalities has made for some stressful situations not devoid of tears, yelling, and threats - both idol and fulfilled. It's not something I'm proud of.

Not all practice sessions are horrible. If all goes well they last 10 minutes. With fighting, they drag on. Through this  I have definitely gained an understanding of what she Amy Chua was doing. Like her, I have come to understand that because parents do have the perspective their children lack, the parent often must push them beyond what the child feels comfortable with.

That being said, there is a balance that must be attained. I hope Sweet Cheeks sticks it out and plays into her adulthood. At this point she doesn't have the choice, but I hope, unlike Amy Chua, I don't drive her to quit something she loves.  I have to make sure my obsessive parenting doesn't outweigh the benefits violin lessons can bring into her life. Most important of all that it doesn't drive her from me.

At any rate, violin practice can be heard most days by both mother and daughter. I anticipate that will continue for years to come.

On a similar note (no pun intended) - Sweet Cheeks has been "beat boxing". I'm not quite sure where she picked that up, but it's quite entertaining. I'm wondering if one day she'll be like this guy:

Amazing, right? It makes me wonder about the back story from both his perspective and that of his parents. Something to think about.