Here are 4 important tips that will help you.

• Tip # 1 Talk about commitment with your child and let him/her know  specifically how long he will be expected to follow through on this  commitment. When our son was 6, he began lessons. We let him  know at the onset that once he started, he would be taking lessons  and practising until age 12, at which time he could make a choice to  continue his study of piano or direct his time and energy elsewhere.  (At age 12 he chose to continue, and eventually majored in piano  performance in college.) Some parents use two years; some extend it through high-school, but  the child needs to know what your expectations are from the  beginning. NEVER start the study of ANY instrument on a trial  basis. Start it on the basis of commitment and then carry it through.

• Tip # 2 The most successful practice is done as early as possible in the day  and at the same time every day. If your child does not like having  the entire practice waiting for him after school, can he get 15-20  minutes done before school? Practice sessions can also be split in  half with short breaks between sessions.  

• Tip # 3 Provide a private environment for practice free from the flow of family  traffic and interference. A piano in a bedroom is a better  environment than a piano in the TV room! Please make these  considerations before lessons get under way. Think of the piano as  an extension of your child’s personality and not as a piece of  furniture.

• Tip # 4 I am very specific on practice assignments and how long the student  should be practicing every day, but as a general guide, all  beginners under the age of 12 are expected to practice 30 minutes  per day for the first 4 weeks. After that practice will require 45-60  minutes per day for most students. Students who are12 and above  will need anywhere from 1 to 3 hours of practice per day,  depending on the student’s own goals in piano.