Forced piano shaped her childhood

Kate Loweth started piano lessons in fourth grade, giving up after-school hours she would rather have spent elsewhere. She eventually switched to flute and played through high school.

The lessons left mixed feelings

Loweth has fond memories of marching band and traveling to perform at Disneyland in her senior year. But years of being told to practice left her with conflicted feelings about music.

Her husband had the same experience

Loweth's husband spent countless hours practicing viola because his parents wanted him to. Decades later, he does not play it.

They chose a different path

When their children reached the age when friends were starting piano, violin or other lessons, Loweth and her husband took a different approach. They did not sign them up.

They offered support, not pressure

Loweth told her children that if they wanted to learn an instrument, she would support them.

“If they wanted to learn an instrument, we told them we would support them.”

All three children asked to play

Her daughter eventually decided she wanted acoustic guitar lessons. Later, her sons got interested in music too, signing up for electric guitar and drumming.

The dynamic changed completely

Because her children chose these activities themselves, Loweth is not hovering over them telling them to practice scales or threatening to take away screen time. They know they have to practice to get better.

“I'm not hovering over a piano bench telling someone to practice scales.”

She enjoys parenting music differently

Instead of being the practice police, Loweth sits in the audience recording performances, cheers when they nail a song, and watches their confidence grow. Their accomplishments feel like theirs.