Band Instrument or Spanish for 8th Grader

[Evergreen State Sue]

What do you think would be best for my rising 8th grade dd?

 

She wants to take a band instrument. I already have a hard time getting her to practice the piano! She's a 3rd year piano student. Taking band through a co-op will be more time out of the house - two days a week, 1 hr. each class.

 

I think if she takes something extra it should be Spanish to prepare her for the foreign language credits she needs in high school for college. She has taken about 1 year of Latin.

 

Here is her proposed schedule for next year:

 

Pre-Algebra

Intro. to Essay Writing

U.S. War History

Biology

Piano lesson

Bible Quizzing

Awana

 

Should she take a band instrument, Spanish, nothing else, or something else!

[Klothos]

Band instruments are extremely expensive (even renting them costs a pretty penny), so I'd be wary if she is already demonstrating a ho-hum attitude to practicing with the piano. I know what I would do, but I understand if you're not comfortable with our philosophy.

 

She's getting old enough where she should be able to take on more responsibility that mimics what she will be experiencing once she's out on her own, so this could be a good opportunity to instill in her a sense of work ethic and goal setting. Explain to her that money is tight and that while you'll be more than happy to support her in playing a band instrument by driving her to and from the co-op, the instrument is going to be expensive. Let her know how much buying an instrument (or renting it for two years) is going to be, and say that while it wouldn't be feasible for you to purchase it for her, if she likes she could work toward earning it this year so that she can take the lessons next year.

 

Arranging for her to babysit for other families would probably be the easiest way for her to accomplish this. Alternatively, she could mow lawns during the summer. Or you could even set up some "special" chores for her to do around the house that give her credits (so that she would need to earn X number of credits in order to be able to learn the instrument) -- however, I don't like this one because it'd be too easy for her to cheat a little bit and it wouldn't be REAL work since she wouldn't be working for money from other people.

 

This would be an effective exercise because it would truly gauge just how much she wants to learn a band instrument and it would give her a tangible goal to reach (plus a little extra spending money or savings with whatever is left over). If you were simply to deny her being able to learn a band instrument, in the future she could look back and say, "Wow, I wish my mom had really listened to me because that's something I truly wanted to do," -- on the contrary, the worst she will be able to say is, "Wow, my mom gave me the chance to learn that in exchange for some babysitting on weekends, and I regret not taking her up on that deal now."

[Evergreen State Sue]

Band instruments are extremely expensive (even renting them costs a pretty penny), so I'd be wary if she is already demonstrating a ho-hum attitude to practicing with the piano. I know what I would do, but I understand if you're not comfortable with our philosophy.

 

She's getting old enough where she should be able to take on more responsibility that mimics what she will be experiencing once she's out on her own, so this could be a good opportunity to instill in her a sense of work ethic and goal setting. Explain to her that money is tight and that while you'll be more than happy to support her in playing a band instrument by driving her to and from the co-op, the instrument is going to be expensive. Let her know how much buying an instrument (or renting it for two years) is going to be, and say that while it wouldn't be feasible for you to purchase it for her, if she likes she could work toward earning it this year so that she can take the lessons next year.

 

Arranging for her to babysit for other families would probably be the easiest way for her to accomplish this. Alternatively, she could mow lawns during the summer. Or you could even set up some "special" chores for her to do around the house that give her credits (so that she would need to earn X number of credits in order to be able to learn the instrument) -- however, I don't like this one because it'd be too easy for her to cheat a little bit and it wouldn't be REAL work since she wouldn't be working for money from other people.

 

This would be an effective exercise because it would truly gauge just how much she wants to learn a band instrument and it would give her a tangible goal to reach (plus a little extra spending money or savings with whatever is left over). If you were simply to deny her being able to learn a band instrument, in the future she could look back and say, "Wow, I wish my mom had really listened to me because that's something I truly wanted to do," -- on the contrary, the worst she will be able to say is, "Wow, my mom gave me the chance to learn that in exchange for some babysitting on weekends, and I regret not taking her up on that deal now."

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. We live in an area that doesn't have young kids to babysit so I would see it would be hard for her to earn money that wouldn't come from us. But, I do like the idea of her trying to earn it instead of me just saying no. She already has asked me to consider band for her if she proves she can practice her piano more. My parents didn't have any money for band instruments or lessons, so I hate to have her lose the opportunity if we can swing it. Hard to balance the time and money vs. opportunity.

[Annabel Lee]

Here's something else to ponder. Does she want to learn Spanish? Do the foriegn language credits she'll need in hs have to start beyond the beginner level, or could she begin in hs?

[elegantlion]

Here's something else to ponder. Does she want to learn Spanish? Do the foriegn language credits she'll need in hs have to start beyond the beginner level, or could she begin in hs?

 

 

Another issue to consider is how many foreign language credits you want her to have upon graduation. I've noticed on the high school board that some colleges now want 3 years of a language in high school, not the traditional 2. Unless she has a strong desire to learn Spanish I would hold off and wait to earn the credit next year.

 

As for band, idk? Will being out of the house more mess with your schedule too much? Does the instrument fit into your budget? I'm one of those kids that didn't get to play their instrument of choice and now, years later, I still regret it and still want to learn.

 

I'd say if she has more desire for the instrument I'd let her try. Sounds like it would be a good testing of her responsibility.

[MIch elle]

My older ds played piano for many years while also playing in band for grades 5-7 & jazz emsemble gr. 8. He played sax & clarinet with band and it was a great experience that is SOO different than piano! Band requires listening, counting, and following a conductor which piano doesn't (listening yes but not for your entrance, etc.). A band instrument is typically easier than the piano because it's read on a single clef as oppose to piano which is read on 2 clefs (treble & bass). There are many other reasons for band too!

 

My ds was ho-hum about practicing piano too because it was hard at his level of piano, but he was diligent about practicing sax/clarinet (because he had to log his minutes everyday for the teacher and it was SO much easier than piano).

 

I say let her do band if you can swing it. :D