06 Apr 2026
By Shelly Davis
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PPP 379: Learn how this mom helped her son rewrite his internal script, with piano parent, Kristen Pennington

PPP 379: Learn how this mom helped her son rewrite his internal script, with piano parent, Kristen Pennington

Mom to Mom, Parent Interviews, Podcast, , , , ,
In today's episode, Shelly sits down with Kristen Pennington, a homeschool mom and piano parent, to talk about what happens when children become discouraged during piano practice.Kristen shares how her son Barrett began struggling with negative self-talk and frustration, especially when learning more difficult pieces. Rather than focusing on perfect performance, Kristen created a “good attitude chart” that rewarded effort, persistence, and a willingness to keep trying. Listen to the full episode here Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/0IJM2zJRXEc Episode Highlights Key Takeaways:Children often need encouragement more than correction.A child’s attitude during practice matters more than perfect performance.Negative self-talk can often be…
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22 Sep 2025
By Shelly Davis
PPP 366: Human Nature Delays

PPP 366: Human Nature Delays

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation, , ,
Have you ever planned to practice piano right after a lesson, only to find “tomorrow” sneaking in? Or wanted to start a project for yourself but been stalled by the small stuff—or worse, the big stuff just never seems to begin? You’re not alone. In this post, I’ll unpack what “human nature delays” means, introduce the intention‑action gap, and share concrete strategies for you and your piano kid to move from "want to" to "did"—bit by bit, week by week. Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights What Are “Human Nature Delays”? The feeling of being unqualified, not ready, or not…
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02 Nov 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP215: External Motivation to Practice – PIANOVEMBER

PPP215: External Motivation to Practice – PIANOVEMBER

Podcast, Practice Challenge, ,
At the beginning of this semester, in August and September, our excitement and enthusiasm for the new school year were high. As October came and went, our school workload got heavier and our schedules got busier; and piano practice became less consistent. Now that November is here, we are full-on in a mid-semester slump. This is true not only for piano kids but also for piano parents. This is the perfect time for a world-wide piano practice challenge. Enter PIANOVEMBER!! Listen to the full episode here You might also enjoy these previous episodes PPP105: The Blessing of Routine PPP126: Building…
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25 May 2020
By Shelly Davis
PPP194: You’re Awesome, But…

PPP194: You’re Awesome, But…

Practicing and Motivation, , , , ,
Read that title again and make sure you don't miss the punctuation! This is not a podcast about our posterior, today's show highlights a philosophy in which we can engage with our piano kids in a positive and constructive way. I recently subscribed to a podcast, Positive University Podcast, by Jon Gordon. My husband suggested an interview on the podcast with Buzz Williams, the Texas A&M Basketball Coach. That interview was awesome so I subscribed to the podcast and have heard many other motivational talks. In today's episode of the Piano Parent Podcast, I am sharing my perspective on Jon…
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05 Sep 2016
By Shelly Davis

Episode 006: Progress is Not Always a Straight Line

Podcast, Practicing and Motivation,
Listen to the full episode here Episode Highlights: Sometimes it seems like no progress is being made in lessons. Keep an audio record of your child's piano playing to compare musical maturity Let them listen: to critique their own performance and to realize how they have improved over the course of time Intermingle easier pieces Students face a new challenging piece as soon as they complete the current one.  This can be frustrating. Allow students to play an easier piece before jumping to the next challenge if they are feeling pressured or frustrated. In my studio, students are assigned a "for…
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