Have you ever wished for your child to fail at something?

[Disney Doll]

I wouldn't say another peep about it. Let him practice or not, as he sees fit.

If he doesn't practice and gets blown out of the water, you'll have your wish for a humility-making event, as long as you don't tyr and rush to his rescue. The only statement that you should make if he does fail is "Well, perhaps you should have practiced like we all suggested".

If he doesn't fail, despite lack of practice, then believe me, thre will be another opportunity for him to get knocked off his high horse...happens to the best of us eventually.

 

[shortbun]

Yeah, I'd leave it alone and let nature take it's course. I totally understand your feeling as you do. Nothing grows them up like a little failure. sigh

 

[jaci-h]

Let him be.

You can't have real success without a little taste of failure. It sounds like he's been extremely "successful" in this but doesn't know the other side of it. Maybe messing up will motivate him.

But otherwise, maybe he is growing out of the instrument or needs a challenge/something new.

 

[KiminChicago]

Is he first chair in his m.s. band?

He and another young man have alternated first and second chair throughout 6th and 7th grade, the band director does chair placements before each concert and it keeps bouncing back and forth.

While the OP hasn't even brought up that her son is gifted, but rather music comes easy for him, I can't believe others are saying he is musically gifted.

That's because I wouldn't know musically gifted if it came up and slapped me on the back of the head. Neither DH nor I play an instrument, so I was just happy when he was able to play the scales without squeaking.

I will say that he will practice if it's something he really wants. He practiced that recorder at home until I was ready to pull my hair out. Over the summer he decided he wanted to learn how to play "Rhapsody in Blue". His clarinet teacher showed him how to slide his fingers off to play the opening and he practiced that so many times I wanted to scream. It's just that it's so hard right now to bite my lip and let things proceed as they will -- I'm his mom, so I don't want him to be disappointed, but on the other hand, I do want him to learn that sometimes if he really wants something, he's going to have to work for it.