My son is seven and has been having piano lessons for about a year now. I think he is coming on fine and he is playing pieces that are not quite grade 1.
I have noticed that he doesn't curve his fingers very much when he is playing. This is most obvious when he is playing quavers. I have tried to explain to him that it is important to keep your fingers curved rather than straight but he just tells me he can't do it like that and goes in a mood - or gets sent to his bed for being stroppy.
I don't want to make a big issue about this and I don't know if I am getting too worked up about something that will resolve itself in time. His teacher hasn't commented on it but I don't know why as it was always drummed into me as a child that you need to keep your wrists up and your fingers curved.
Am I overreacting unnecessarily? I would appreciate any comments!

I wouldn't worry about it too much unless his fingers are VERY flat.
Curved fingers are good but how curved varies from person to person.
The hand shape also needs some flexibility so the amount of curve will vary depending on things like stretch between notes and what combinations of notes are being played.
It also needs to be a relaxed curved hand shape and not one achieved by tension.
It can take time to establish and some children do seem to need longer to get the control to manage all the time.

I have an adult student who had it well drummed into her that she should have a curved hand shape at all times. It's taken some time to get her to relax more in her playing which has greatly improved all aspects of her playing.

I agree with you. I have a super obsessive wife that kept telling my 2 daughters "No" for every single note they play cause the fingers are not curved enough for her liking. It is not as if my 2 poor daughters' fingers are completely flat all the time. Drive me bonkers, so I kept coming to their rescue and distract my wife with something else, and let them practise in peace

My son was the same at about the same age, and it's something that did sort itself out of its own accord as his playing developed. I think that as the pieces that they play become a little harder, they find it's simply easier with curved fingers - fingers travel across the keys more lightly and reach up to black keys with less effort, and thumbs go under fingers more smoothly. I'm sure that it will happen - and then he probably won't believe that he ever played any other way

Thank you all for your replies. I feel a lot more comfortable now. I have mainly been letting my son get on with playing himself and haven't liked to interfere too much. I mean I do sit down with him to practise several times a week (and don't normally comment on the fingers) but I like it best when he just sits down of his own accord and plays for fun. I guess I am just worried that I am not doing the right thing (by leaving him to it) and that he suffers for it in the long run.

I suppose the reason I have noticed it more recently is that the pieces he has been playing have more fast patterns of notes and it's more obvious that his fingers are flat. However, what Crotchetymum says makes sense so won't worry about it too much

Thank you all again!

If you're still worried about it maybe have a word with his teacher? Maybe he/she is already trying to deal with this but without turning it into too much of an issue for your son and they might have some useful tips for what you can do at home to support your son's learning.

x Bass Clef