An interesting thought cropped up in my head that should I have children and they begin music lessons, I would be much better placed to supervise proper practise than my parents ever were, being a music teacher myself.

My parents were both non musical. Yet one of my pupils who has musician parents doesn't seem to make the same progress I did at that age. Of course, I don't know if the parents properly supervise practise. Another pupil has a parent whom plays clarinet as well (about grade 8 standard) and the pupil has made fantastic progress.

So, what I'm trying to ask is do we, as teachers, think that children of musical parents often do better than children of none musical parents?

I think it can be helpful to a child learning a musical instrument if they have musical parents - sometimes help can be given with technique, or things can be explained, even if parent didn't learn that instrument.

But ultimately it comes down to talent, and application to practise, and the time to practise. Parents who are musical and have learnt an instrument will appreciate that practising is important and may therefore allot time to it more readily.

Having said that some of my pupils have parents who are not particularly musical, but who supervise practising very well so that their children make good progress.

My own parents didn't know one note from another, but I practised regularly and made steady progress, more than some of my own pupils do these days, but I didn't have the number of distractions that are available now.

Perhaps one of the main advantages would be being used to hearing music and to knowing that practice is involved. A musical parent is also less likely to be reluctant to buy sheet music.
Sometimes helping out in any way regarding practice is just not going to work.

Parent here...
I think a lot probably depends on the sort of relationship that the parent has with their child and their personalities. I am much more successful with supervising practice with one daughter than with the other. Sometimes I think that one would be better off if I didn't know anything and these days try to keep more of a distance.

I would have thought a lot comes down to the child irrespective of the parents so comparing two kids who both have musical parents is like comparing two kids.

What matters to me most is that they are interested and supportive, whatever their own particular knowledge of music. I had one parent who was vaguely musical and one who definitely wasn't: I'm not sure it made that much difference to me.

I've had a few pupils with musical parents over the years, but I'm not sure it's made an awful lot of difference. There have certainly been a couple where this has actually be counter-productive because actually, their musical knowledge is not as secure as they thought.

I think it depends entirely on the personalities involved - I have had some OTT interference from parents who think they know best (for example - my mum said I should shake my hand like this for vibrato ) whether they are musicians or not.

The ones I like best are the ones who listen to what I ask them to do to help and carry that out! I actually think it's bad for a kid to have a musical parent on their back 7 days a week sniping about F sharps or not, it stops them taking responsibility and ownership themselves.

I've noticed that my friends who are music teachers are much more relaxed with their children's music as they can see the bigger picture. The child probably still makes more progress because their home is filled with music and they have grown up surrounded by it.

In saying that, my children are now at a stage where I cannot help them and they have had to become independent more quickly with regards to practice and their theory. The only thing I can potentially organise is courses or local orchestras but I have no idea how they are progressing now, whereas pre grade 5 I could get my head around most things.

Agree totally about it depending on personalities. Both my husband and I are professional musicians - neither of us had musical parents, mine were supportive, his were not. Two of our four children are now working as musicians - we were always there to help if asked, but didn't interfere with lessons or practice, but they were aware from seeing us that there is a lot of hard work involved.
I now do a lot of teaching and have pupils from both camps - a few with musical parents who constantly know better, one to the extent that I have refused to teach their child any more! But I also have musical parents who just let us get on with it which is great. I'm a firm believer that no amount of cajoling will make a child do worthwhile practice unless they want to and can see the point in it themselves. Supportive parents, in a non-interfering way, whether they are musical or not, are the important thing.

As a musician with non-musical parents, completely agree with this, however having musical parents has some advantages, my parents never knew about college saturday mornings or any courses that were out of the area, so I never went to Junior departments or auditioned for music scholarships etc etc. I sometimes wonder whether that would have changed my music making.

Overall sometimes knowledgable musical parents can be useful, but as long as a parent is supportive then you shouldn't have a problem. (and non-musical parents are easier to blag for accessories for instruments too )

Parent here.
I myself got to Grade3 on Piano before I gave up. My mother was a very good violinist but quite laid back, just reminding us to practise. Dad nagged but that was because he had not had an opportunity to learn an instrument and thought we should be more committed. However, whenever my grandmother, practically professional on Piano, came to stay she would take my piano books, play them and work through them with me. She would take my basic G1 and g2 pieces and make them sound amazing. I would sit next to her and just watch her hands, whilst she was saying "read the music!". After she would play for another hour or so repetoire (whilst complaining about the "dreadful" piano) that was so inspirational. I am sure if she hadnt died I may have continued. I never told my teacher and she would comment on how I made such excellent progress occasionally!

I too got a bit lost helping my kids after g5 or so, and my OH was very good on Theory. We did look at the notes written in the books and reminded the children what they were supposed to be working on. However we would never undermind the music teacher as we trusted their professional abilities.

Of the pupils I teach very very few have musical parents - well perhaps to say they are not musical may not be correct. They might be potentially musical but have had no opportunity to develop this.

I have, among my pupils, one father who doesn't actually interfere with lessons or practice work which I set but who has led his son to believe that one can cut corners - and this boy certainly shouldn't go down that path.

I have one mother who says was that she was quite a competent pianist before bringing up a large family sapped her own music time. She believes in her children having a cultured education, takes them to the few concerts we get round here and is generally very supportive and encouraging. She can be relied upon to help with specific difficulties if I ask and explain what I would like her to do.

I have another mother who is an ex pupil of mine. She has a very strong character but leaves me to get on with it. Again she will help when she can.

I have a father who plays the accordion and is a very laid back very amateur musician. His wife has done a bit of piano. The child gets help which isn't always exactly what I would want but if I write careful instructions in the weekly notebook I can get mother to work along with me. I certainly wouldn't discourage, in this particular case.

I have one pushy mother who doesn't play an instrument and tends to expect too much of her son but on the whole I manage to keep this under control. He would do better if he were able to be more relaxed about his playing.

Apart from that most of my pupils' parents are generally supportive - I have one who is a bit erratic on that score and a couple of others who don't (yet) realise that practice must be regular. On the whole I am lucky enough at the moment to have general support. Where I do find that the children from "musical" families have advantages is that there is a musical culture within which they can place their own musical activities. There are people who will encourage and listen. There are books of old music lying around at home and classical CD's. There is the odd visit to a concert. That does make a difference and I see it as part of my job to try to compensate the lack of these things where possible.

From my (limited) experience, there are two ways in particular where having a parent who plays a musical instrument to a reasonably good standard is an advantage over a parent who has never learned an instrument:

- you realise that progress can be slow, and hopefully can encourage your child not to give up just because they are encountering difficulties. Only a small sample size, but of the children in Son No.2's class who started learning woodwind instruments at the same time he did (2 years ago), the one who gave up after 5 months was the only one who did not have a parent who plays a musical instrument. The rest of them are now at the stage where they are in the middle grades (3-4) and confident enough to play as an ensemble in public. Son No.2 threw a few tantrums at the early stages and talked about giving up (still does, when he's had a bad practice session!), but with a bit of cajoling and firmness we got and get through those periods, and he's starting to make a really good sound.

- you understand the importance of following the instructions / recommendations of the teacher (even when ignoring those instructions doesn't appear initially to cause problems), and/or of not getting into "bad" habits, such as - slouching; tensing; ignoring fingering (on piano) etc. I have recently tried to ease back on supervision of Son No.1's practice, but evidently he hasn't yet taken on board for himself the need to do what his teacher asks, and as a result has learned some truly awful fingering on one piano piece, which he is now having to un-learn in order to be able to get the piece up to the required tempo.

The most musical parents of any of my pupils are the ones who trust my judgement, are very supportive, and just let me get on with things. There are three such pupils and they are all doing very well indeed - their parents are all professional musicicans, and I agree with others who have posted before, that they set the example of hard work and regular practice, but they are happy for me to do the teaching and not interfere.

The worst ones are those parents who have a little knowledge, which, as the saying goes, can be a dangerous thing. This can be detrimental to the child as their parents try to help them, but don't fully understand what the child is meant to be doing. In most cases they genuinely want to be helpful, but there are a couple of cases where it seems to be a case of parents showing off what they know. This is particularly apparent when teaching theory, and I have had to respectfully ask some parents to stand back and allow the child to do the work themselves. If the child needs more help, I am perfectly happy to give it myself, rather than untangle the peculiarities created by over zealous parents.

My own parents were musicians and supported me in exactly the right way (although I didn't always appreciate the nagging about practice!) My own children wisely chose to play instruments that neither their father nor I had any knowledge of, and we were happy to stand back and allow their teachers to do their job properly. As their own teachers did not offer theory, we taught them that ourselves.