My almost 6 year old Granddaughter told me yesterday, that she doesn't want to take guitar lessons any more. Her mom and dad have her taking Ballet and modern dance, maybe the guitar is just a little to much right now. Maybe I should back off with the guitar. Oh well I really don't have much to say in the mater, although I am kind of disappointed. Do any of you have any ideas on how to motivate her? She told me that guitars are just for boys.
----Danny,

I can tell you how to de-motivate her......

Insist that she continue with her guitar lessons.

Arjay

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Danny you know you cant win with girls

let her miss it and want to come back. I was twice her age when I started playing. I couldn't imagine myself being into it at 5-6 years old.

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Show her concert videos of Orianthi, Joan Jett, Sue Foley and Ana Popovic to name a few

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I certainly wouldn't try to push her or put any pressure on her to get her to play.By her some cool looking concert photos of Joan Jett,Susanna Hoffs,Nancy Wilson,Orianthi,Lita Ford etc. that may inspire her subconciously and after a while she may come around.

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Thanks guys, I Really like the ideas of the concert photos. I also agree it's not a good idea to force a 5/6 year old.
----Danny,

Let it be for a few years. She's way too little to make any real decisions on her own yet. Just the,"Guitars are for boys" comment tells me someone is influencing. Little kids have short attention spans and are easy to sway. I like the idea of letting her hear female guitar players.

There's a kid show called "The Fresh Beat Band" that my 2 and 3 year old grand daughters love. there's a girl guitar player that is on there that may convince her guitar is cool.

Good luck.

yes there is always hope if you start some subtle programming early
"monkey see monkey do"

just try to keep her away from pop culture

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Danny,

I spent close to $1,500 giving my nephew guitar lessons, a beginner Fender acoustic and a CV 50's squier strat, over a year. The whole time he struggled to maintain interest and his Asian step-mom pushing him, and she can really push! In the end it all just fell apart.

I will not say it was a total waste, he did learn some stuff but guitar just really did not interest him. He was only doing it to please me and did not want to disappoint me.

We here love guitar, we love it so much we cannot fathom not loving it. We want to share that love with others, but in the last analysis, either you have the passion, or you do not. It's not something you can instill in another human being. I had to learn this the hard way.

Let it go. Maybe one day it will come to her, maybe not. You obviously love her and that she will not forget.

What I did was look around and find some poor kids whose parents could not afford guitar for them and I either buy them instuments or give them lessons myself for free.
Find someone who has the "passion" and help them along. If it's "right" you will not "have" to motivate them.

My 2 cents.

OL

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Iv'e found this scenario to be very common with musician parents. I am not a parent though i have seen it all before. musicians want their kids to play an instrument so you can share whats so special to you with them also. I myself try to encourage people to pick up any instrument of their desire all of the time! I also hear people saying, "i wish i could play and instrument" my response to them is, "then why don't you?"

The sad fact is, a lot of people would probably love to play an instrument, however they don't want to put the time and effort and all the leg work into becoming a good musician, or even a decent musician. which in return means to me, that they aren't really that passionate about playing.

Also, not everyone likes to or wants to play an instrument.. i know thats pretty devastating to pretty much any serious musician who loves to play more than anything in this world. however, some people, actually A LOT of people don't really have the passion or desire to play an instrument, and i think thats what makes musicians different and special from the average Joe or Jane.

The moral of the story is, you can't push someone to like of play music. you give it your best shot, and if it doesn't work out. it just wasn't meant to be. it doesn't make them a bad person, or end the world.

thats just my opinion

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However disappointing it may be at least shes sinking her time productively into dancing also, and on the plus side shes taking part in a hobby that is still very closely linked to music.

I agree with Strings. Your heart is in the right place too. It will come back to her. In time . . .and perhaps many years down the road . . . She will appreciate you and your wisdom that got her on the guitar path in the 1st place.

I agree with Strings. Your heart is in the right place too. It will come back to her. In time . . .and perhaps many years down the road . . . She will appreciate you and your wisdom that got her on the guitar path in the 1st place.