I started piano lessons at the age of 8. I begged for lessons for years before I was finally able to get in--we lived in a small town with one teacher and she had no openings. I just knew that if I could learn, I would be good--can't explain it any other way. When I finally got in, I never quit. Music became my main focus for years.
I started teaching piano when I was 16 and have never stopped. So here I am 28 years later still teaching. I feel like it's my life calling. There are MANY things I don't do well, but teaching music is my thing. So when I had kids, I heard from every single teacher I talked to--"You CAN'T teach your own kids. It NEVER works..." Well, I decided that I would prove them wrong. I WOULD teach my own kids and they in turn would be useful pianists with the ability to perform AND teach others. I chose this battle about 18 years ago and I'm happy to report that I did it!
With Carlie, it was quite easy. She was always drawn to the piano. She was constantly pulling herself up on the bench to plunk out songs she heard on TV--lots of "Dora the Explorer" songs and songs from her "Leap Pad." I immediately discovered that she had perfect pitch. So I began to formally teach her at the age of 3 because I basically couldn't keep her off the piano. There were many times that Chris and I would make Carlie get off the piano--"Carlie, you've been on the piano for about 4 hours, you need to go play outside." NO joke. Then my son Ethan came along. I decided to start teaching him at 3 also. But he didn't love it like Carlie did and often ran away😂. I remember actually saying to Chris, "There is something wrong with Ethan, he won't just sit there and listen to me." And thankfully my husband, being much wiser than me replied, "Honey, maybe he's the NORMAL one." So no, there is NOTHING wrong with Ethan or Max or Tatum. Carlie was just always going to do music--never a question.
So my other 3 went along with my crazy ideas. Perhaps I would not have been able to teach my own kids if I didn't already have a strict teaching line up with other students--my kids had their assigned times each week just like any of my other students. And they were asked to practice--each song 5 times for 5 days--just like all my other students. And yes, they whined and complained and tried to cheat ALL the time, but they did it. They weren't allowed TV/computer until piano was done. There were tears, yelling, pounding of keys but then there was also joy, laughter, and LOTS of singing around the piano. We had some bad times AND great times around this instrument.
Carlie completed through Level 12--college + level. My boys went through Level 4/5--hymn playing level. And I was able to push Tatum through to Level 8--beginning college level. I just stopped teaching Tatum this spring because her softball schedule became so demanding that something had to give. It felt weird to NOT be teaching one of my own kids after 18 years.
Currently, all 4 of my kids have piano callings in their own wards--Carlie in UT, Ethan in ID, and Max & Tatum here in our Branch. And they have each taught their OWN piano students over the years. Max currently has 2 students on top of his job at Popeyes and Tatum has 4 of her own students. Words cannot express how incredibly PROUD I am of all my kiddos. They made this momma's dream come true. How blessed I am because of these four amazing kiddos. I LOVE YOU ALL TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!
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