My kids are too talented for the parents they have.

I don’t know how we got here. Kind of funny.

Kamryn who just turned 9 has been playing the piano since she was 5. She started in a program called Music for Young Children. I pulled her out of what would have been her fourth and final year because in her third year she was leaps and bounds ahead of the other kids in the class and obviously bored. We started private lessons last September. She took her grade one national examinations in January and got first class honours. She started grade two in February and played a grade two piece in a local competition in April and came second in her class (at this point the director of her music school noticed her and things began to move kind of fast). She passed her grade two exams in early June (first class honours again) and moved on to Grade three. She’s now done with grade three and ready for exams again but there isn’t a testing period again until January. Plan was to move ahead with grade four regardless.

Yesterday, the director of the school – who has taken Kamryn on as a pupil proposed that Kamryn prepare for what is called the Canadian Music Competition. It’s a big deal and a national competition. The pieces Kamryn would play are actually a couple of grade levels beyond what she is playing now. Her teacher is positive Kamryn could play them. It would mean pushing Kamryn.

Now Kamryn is not a competitive kid. She’s ALWAYS been content to be an also ran but she’s not above questioning why other kids get recognition for things and she doesn’t – ummm…. you didn’t try at all?!?. If we didn’t push her to do things she’s sit in her room listing to her MP3 player for the rest of her life (seriously). So we push and she’s pretty accommodating because she is generally an accommodating kid. This is different though.

I’m of two minds – challenge her (and I believe she needs the challenge) and this is really something a kid HAS to want for themselves.

I originally wrote this out seeking advice but this is why writing is so great. By the time I got here I knew the answer. I’m definitely caught up in the director’s excitement and my own need to please “authority.” A great opportunity and we’ll tell her teacher that but maybe not for Kamryn this year (or ever). I think we’ll do grade four Conservatory. Take a big swing at the Kiwanis music festival in the spring and see where we are next year.

Interestingly we’re facing similar (but different) challenges with Sam who is such a different kid and stresses over not being the best at anything he tries. He’s been playing U8 soccer this year instead of U7 a little because he is a pretty good soccer player but more because it worked out better for our schedule. It has however kind of messed up where he plays next year as U9 splits into a competitive and house league stream. The U9 house league stream with the club he plays with would be a significant step down for him (we know this because this is where Kamryn is currently playing). When we asked the club coaches for advice they were shocked to learn he is only 7 and saw no problem with him starting competitive play a year early.

We’re supposed to talk to the competitive coach – I’ve been avoiding him. Sam could do it no problem and its what he would want but I was kind of looking forward to one last laid back year with him. Its evident though that we need to do something (either change clubs or let him play competitive). I'm just not ready to deal yet.

Again, don’t know how we got here.