School and the Piano Playathon...

Tall Girl is taking piano lessons. She's only had 2 months of classes and is done with her first book. Her teacher says she's doing well. It is not always easy to get her to practice...but tell her she gets to play computer or something afterward and she's on it. It's been most difficult getting that brain off of computer/video games...she got mad the other day when I told her that they aren't allowed to play games Monday through Thursday. That was not a new development, but she had to be reminded yet again about that rule.

Today she remarked that "she'd just done all that work for nothing"! (In reference to the not being able to play any games today). I looked at her...paused and said, "So you're only doing your schoolwork so that you can play video games"? She shook her head sort of like a yes, like she wasn't sure she should do that...I looked at her and said, "You do the work to learn. You don't do the work so that you can game the rest of the day. That's why you aren't gaming during the week. There are way too many other things for you be doing instead. You're lucky you are here at home-atleast you get to play or do what you want when you are done with school. If you were at a regular school you wouldn't get to snack when you wanted, or go to the bathroom when you needed, or be able to go off and play whenever you finished all your work". She turned back to her work that she was correcting...again (her most unfavorite thing to do because after all: 'she knows it already'. "Oh, you do..." I say, "so why are you having to correct it again"? Oh the joys of preteens....) and didn't say much after that.

She has a Play-a-thon coming up in a couple of weeks. She is practicing her songs well and has picked 10, I think, to play. This is a fundraiser for our local city. It helps fund underpriveledged yet interested and gifted kids get music lessons. What a great cause. She is supposed to get a few sponsors to either donate a flat amount towards her playing or donate an amount per minute played. She has a couple sponsors and is trying to get a few more. She wanted to make a goal to donate $50 to the fund. I think she'll make it. She is a determined young girl.