creating an indistractable mind

The room seemed to shake as the toddler screeched but my 6 year old student and I continued with the piano lesson as his mother tried to handle a very cranky child. At several moments, I was surprised at how loud he was. I’ve never felt the air shake like that from my nieces (above) crying but this is the first time I had an upset baby in my piano room. My piano room is tiny; 8 X 10. I hoped that concrete on two walls and a heavy steel door insulated us enough. Fortunately, many of the other teachers had already left for the day.

My student impressed me as he concentrated on his music and didn’t bat an eye toward his baby brother. He managed to sightread several new exercises and even turned around for his routine high fives from his mom. She gave them even though she had her hands full placating his sibling.

I had a passing thought to invite her to take the toddler out but the waiting room is an open space. Certainly, the whole music store and teaching studios would suffer then. The child was doing what they normally do when they are unhappy and don’t know words yet. I decided to let my room shake. My student was doing a stellar job being focused on our time so we continued with the lesson. I think I even lowered the volume of my voice and gained my student’s attention better by staying calm. It was a triumphant lesson. We won and not the baby who turned docile once he knew the lesson was over.

Student’s Mom: “Sorry, after a certain hour he doesn’t just get cranky, he gets crazy.”

The mom thanked me for accommodating a later lesson and assured me that next week they will come at their regular time. My student was all smiles unbothered that his brother screamed through most of his lesson. He would’ve happily stayed to work on a new song. But I had another commitment.

It was a great lesson.

I’d rather grow my student’s skills at being focused than having them somehow expect the world to be quiet on demand. Life isn’t fair nor gives anyone courtesy. Instead, my student gave courtesy to his baby brother and let him say his peace (or unpeace) and carried on to continue learning.

How many of us would get frustrated and say that it wasn’t possible to carry on because of distraction or inconvenience?

My 6 year old student was indistractable. He could’ve been the bigger baby. Instead, he showed he was the bigger kid.

So what are you like? Are you indistractable?

JNET

Post 190

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