<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" > <channel> <title> Comments on: Efficient Practicing for Busy Parents </title> <atom:link href="https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents</link> <description>Helping you become everyone's favorite piano teacher!</description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Mar 2017 16:52:14 +0000</lastBuildDate> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <item> <title> By: Heidi </title> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-961</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Heidi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:06:23 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.theplayfulpiano.com/2014/08/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents.html#comment-961</guid> <description><![CDATA[Your comments about "sibling rivalry in the other room" or the child climbing on my lap the second I try to practice made me smile because it is way too familiar :) At least now some of those climbing on the bench are getting old enough to play simple duets with me which is definitely rewarding, even if its not improving my abilities.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Your comments about "sibling rivalry in the other room" or the child climbing on my lap the second I try to practice made me smile because it is way too familiar 🙂 At least now some of those climbing on the bench are getting old enough to play simple duets with me which is definitely rewarding, even if its not improving my abilities.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title> By: Am+a </title> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-960</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Am+a]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:31:19 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.theplayfulpiano.com/2014/08/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents.html#comment-960</guid> <description><![CDATA[I am terrible at making time to practice... I force myself to do it when I book a gig (like a wedding) or when I'm accompanying for student musicians, but I know I need to practice all year long.<br /><br />I decided to do a simple practice incentive/tracking activity this year; I'm going to put up a "jar" for each of my 12 students and we'll be putting marbles in for each day they practice during a week. All of the students will be able to see all of the jars, even thought they seldom see one another in person. <br /><br />There will be a 13th jar on the shelf for me. SCARY!!!<br /><br />My 9-month-old son has made things really busy around here, but I am STILL hoping to get some bench time in for myself this year. I'm hoping the marbles-in-the-jar thing will be a good motivator for my students, and that it will be an even better motivator for me!!]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I am terrible at making time to practice… I force myself to do it when I book a gig (like a wedding) or when I'm accompanying for student musicians, but I know I need to practice all year long.</p> <p>I decided to do a simple practice incentive/tracking activity this year; I'm going to put up a "jar" for each of my 12 students and we'll be putting marbles in for each day they practice during a week. All of the students will be able to see all of the jars, even thought they seldom see one another in person. </p> <p>There will be a 13th jar on the shelf for me. SCARY!!!</p> <p>My 9-month-old son has made things really busy around here, but I am STILL hoping to get some bench time in for myself this year. I'm hoping the marbles-in-the-jar thing will be a good motivator for my students, and that it will be an even better motivator for me!!</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title> By: Olivia </title> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-959</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Olivia]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2014 23:37:53 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.theplayfulpiano.com/2014/08/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents.html#comment-959</guid> <description><![CDATA[As a mom in this stage, I love this! When I only had one baby, I could often get by with him in a high chair watching me practice. That didn't last very long though. I basically gave up on learning other people's music and took the opportunity to write more of my own. I think it was a good way to embrace the situation, but I would definitely like to be learning more classical rep again. Now that you've given labels to these practice techniques, I can more deliberately follow them and hopefully make some progress.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As a mom in this stage, I love this! When I only had one baby, I could often get by with him in a high chair watching me practice. That didn't last very long though. I basically gave up on learning other people's music and took the opportunity to write more of my own. I think it was a good way to embrace the situation, but I would definitely like to be learning more classical rep again. Now that you've given labels to these practice techniques, I can more deliberately follow them and hopefully make some progress.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title> By: megan </title> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-958</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[megan]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:45:39 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.theplayfulpiano.com/2014/08/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents.html#comment-958</guid> <description><![CDATA[And comment number 2 on this topic (it isn't only moms of young children who can't organize their thoughts,) is, forget a Beethoven sonata! You'll be at that thing for a couple years! Choose shorter pieces. Need Beethoven? Pick the bagatelles or the first couple of variations of a set. Or get to know Mompou, Turina, Sibelius, Griffes, etc. etc. There is tons of wonderful music that is challenging, satisfying, sophisticated and SHORT!]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>And comment number 2 on this topic (it isn't only moms of young children who can't organize their thoughts,) is, forget a Beethoven sonata! You'll be at that thing for a couple years! Choose shorter pieces. Need Beethoven? Pick the bagatelles or the first couple of variations of a set. Or get to know Mompou, Turina, Sibelius, Griffes, etc. etc. There is tons of wonderful music that is challenging, satisfying, sophisticated and SHORT!</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title> By: Jenny Bay </title> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-957</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jenny Bay]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2014 04:25:38 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.theplayfulpiano.com/2014/08/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents.html#comment-957</guid> <description><![CDATA[In reply to <a href="https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-956">megan</a>. Great idea, Megan! Thanks for sharing! That is a great point - it is so easy as a mom to be in multi-task mode rather than truly focusing on the one thing in the present. ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In reply to <a href="https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-956">megan</a>.</p> <p>Great idea, Megan! Thanks for sharing! That is a great point – it is so easy as a mom to be in multi-task mode rather than truly focusing on the one thing in the present. </p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title> By: megan </title> <link>https://www.theplayfulpiano.com/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents/#comment-956</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[megan]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2014 04:02:09 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.theplayfulpiano.com/2014/08/efficient-practicing-for-busy-parents.html#comment-956</guid> <description><![CDATA[My 3 kids are in their 20's so I can usually play the piano as much as I want. But here's something I found valuable when they were at the constant interruption stage: deep breathing/visualization/meditation before practice time. Even 3 deep, mindful breaths can switch you from thinking about the family to focusing on the music at hand. If you have a bit more time, the visualization and meditation will help even more. This way you won't waste those few minutes of practice thinking about the laundry, the bills, the past, the future, etc. You only need the present when you are playing music.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My 3 kids are in their 20's so I can usually play the piano as much as I want. But here's something I found valuable when they were at the constant interruption stage: deep breathing/visualization/meditation before practice time. Even 3 deep, mindful breaths can switch you from thinking about the family to focusing on the music at hand. If you have a bit more time, the visualization and meditation will help even more. This way you won't waste those few minutes of practice thinking about the laundry, the bills, the past, the future, etc. You only need the present when you are playing music.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>