Why in the world did she let me quit?
@1creekgirl (40396)
United States
August 19, 2018 1:53pm CST
My parents bought me a piano and I took lessons for a while when I was in the fourth grade. My teacher was an older lady who taught me Vienna waltzes.
They were very pretty and I learned easily, but I got tired of practicing.
You know how nine year olds can be, so I begged my mother to let me quit taking lessons.
And she let me!
Now, I wasn't this bratty, stuborn kid who cried and demanded my way.
I know I would have just kept taking lessons and would now be able to play.
If a kid really tries and absolutely hates it, okay, maybe they should give up. But I didn't hate it and I should have been encouraged to keep trying.
Have you been allowed to do or not do something that you now really regret?
14 people like this
15 responses
@AmbiePam (85278)
• United States
19 Aug 18
My parents made me take piano lessons through eighth grade, and I hated it. They said I would regret quitting, but they were wrong. I don't regret it at all. My sister loved it so she stayed with it through college, and she plays almost as well as my late mom did. Right now, she's teaching her daughter. So far, my niece doesn't like it, but she's seven. She's got years before my sister will let her quit.
4 people like this
@AmbiePam (85278)
• United States
19 Aug 18
@1creekgirl I think my mom thought I would learn to love it because she hated it as a child, and then learned to love it. I also think my parents wanted me to take an interest in something to help my depression.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
@AmbiePam Sounds like they wanted the best for you.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
I think some parents don't use common sense when it's obvious the child hates it and has no talent. Our daughter loved it from the minute she got a toy piano. Took lessons (after we bought her a real piano!) and never had to be made to practice. It was her love and still plays beautifully today.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (169595)
• United States
19 Aug 18
Not really..my parents probably couldn't have made me do something I didn't want to though. I would have found a way to sabotage it. I was pretty sneaky from a young age.
3 people like this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
I was really different, very mild and obedient.
2 people like this
@much2say (53907)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Aug 18
I would have gladly quit, but my parents were about commitment. I started piano at age 4 - and all the way through beginning of high school. I got a good dose of music experience, but at the same time I was not great it and wasn't motivated to continue on my own. However I got to the point where at my age now, I can still read music and play if I started practicing again.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
I'm sorry. Did you ever get a chance to learn a musical instrument later?
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25812)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
19 Aug 18
@1creekgirl I tried to learn the guitar on a couple occasions. I could strum a bit and play a few chords. I tried to teach myself piano and learned a couple songs. Other than that, the only musical device I play is the radio.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69416)
• Germany
19 Aug 18
@1creekgirl @AmbiePam I had to take piano lessons from the age of six. I suffered until I was eleven years old. When we left the GDR (German Democratic Republic) clandestinely, we couldn't take the piano with us. I was glad about this and haven't regretted this for one day. The piano and I weren't made for each other.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
It isn't for everyone. My point is that parents shouldn't be so quick to let a child quit. But the same for not making a child take lessons for many years if they truly hate it.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
I'm sorry to hear that. But it's never too late, you know. It's a little harder learning when we're grown, but my husband learned to play the guitar at age 68.
2 people like this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
22 Aug 18
@1creekgirl I have one more year (and a bit) to become a concert pianist, as set by my target. I am still looking for the right book to learn (among the pile of books that I have gathered here with time 
).
).
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
19 Aug 18
@1creekgirl ~I wish that I had the opportunity to take piano lessons as a kid. I probably would have gotten board with it though. Who knows? I do know that most people love hearing people play the piano. It makes you popular at parties.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
You're never too old to learn if you really want to.
1 person likes this
@cttolledo (5460)
• Legaspi, Philippines
19 Aug 18
My parents never sets a standard especially when it comes to our hobbies or interests, what course we should take in college and what career path we wanted to pursue. They only have 1 rule during my early age, " no boyfriend until we finish college".
1 person likes this
@cttolledo (5460)
• Legaspi, Philippines
20 Aug 18
@1creekgirl education was their priority. As he said, that the best thing he can give to us is the education.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
19 Aug 18
You were blessed that they expected you to go to college.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
20 Aug 18
You can still learn to play the guitar.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Aug 18
No, not that I can remember.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
20 Aug 18
Our daughter became a very talented piano player, never had to make her practice, it was her passion.
1 person likes this
@theBlock (2657)
• United States
20 Aug 18
@1creekgirl
I'm sure thought it was best for you at the time to quit. Some parents would never allow their kids to quit piano lessons.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
20 Aug 18
I liked it at the time that they let me quit, but now I wish they hadn't.
@Melanie_Marie (1757)
• New Baltimore, Michigan
20 Aug 18
Hi Vicky, I'm just wondering why you used a photo of a plant for this discussion.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40396)
• United States
20 Aug 18
Ha, I wondered if anyone would ask me that! It has no relation to the subject, I just thought it was pretty, sitting on my book case. I've actually just put a post up about it.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37932)
• Philippines
20 Aug 18
Maybe your parents were just waiting that you tell them you changed your mind and you wanted to continue. I guess your parents were just respecting your space that they do not want to push you into something you really do not want to do. Did you ask your parents to continue your lesson? If not, then I guess they just don't want to spend money on things that are not interesting to you that is why.
1 person likes this
