The short answer is yes, it is okay to take a break from piano, but it is important to do it for the right reasons, and to understand the consequences. Most of the time, the best choice is to be consistent with daily piano practicing. Piano students practice every day just like they brush their teeth every day. You don’t take a break from brushing teeth.
Knowing When to Take a Break
There are some circumstances when a break from piano can be helpful. If the piano experience is causing harm to the family in terms of arguing, resentment, and negative feelings in a child, or if it is damaging to a child’s self-esteem because of feeling stuck and unsuccessful, then a break might be in order. Especially if you as a parent have done everything you could to be consistent and make practice fun, and piano is still creating negative vibes in the home, a break can give you and your child a beneficial way to reset and get into a more positive mode. As personal experience, my son Isaac started piano lessons at the age of 4. Things went well at first, but then we realized that even though he wanted the lessons, he didn’t want to be told to practice. He didn’t have the ability to comply with an adult-imposed routine. We took a break for about six months, began again, and found it a much more enjoyable experience.
Coming Back From a Break
If a break is right for your family, have the courage to do it, but know there will be challenges when coming back. Taking a break means, eventually, having to come back from a break. At first you’ll need to take it slow and easy. Don’t expect all the learning to still be there. Be ready to go back and review some old lessons. Err on the side of making it easy at first instead of jumping right in where your student left off and suffering through the frustration of lost skills.
Does Summer Break Mean Piano Break?
Does your child get a break from school in the summer? Don’t assume that summer is an automatic break from piano too. Summer is a great time to make progress on the piano. Without the time constraint of school, many kids can practice longer, or even do two practice sessions per day. Do what’s right for your family, of course, but so long as piano is a positive experience for your child, why not make it a part of your child’s summer too?