Practice Makes...More Practice!

My daughter's dance recital was this past weekend. The kids & staff did a fantastic job! All the care, creativity & hours of preparation & practice were obvious in each and every performance.

A few days before the recital, my daughter was getting frustrated because she could not execute this one particular movement to her own liking. She remarked to me that: "After the months and months of practicing, I should have this perfect!" 

I used a comparison that even though she has learned her multiplication tables & spelling words, that she still needs to practice them or she will forget them, like she has in times past over the summer break. She agreed with me. We talked about her dance classes and my yoga programs being the same in that respect. Its not a one time activity. Its an ongoing thing. Its about building skills slowly until we are confident enough & proficient enough to perform the activity. There is always practice. Practice does not make perfect. It makes more practice.

It may not be a very popular opinion, but I think that as much as we plan & move towards perfection and we strive for perfection-we never actually reach it. There is always something more to explore and learn no matter how much we know. That is why practice makes more practice.

As with any activity or discipline, yoga, karate, Tai Chi, cooking, writing, dance, music, art or competitive sports, the ones that excel on their fields continue to practice even after they have 'mastered' their skills. Even those who are considered 'gifted' commit every day to getting better at what they love or at what they need to do for their careers or well being. Each skill builds on a previous one, and leads to a new one to be acquired. This continues indefinitely or for as long as we'd like it to.

I see practice as so much more than becoming good at one particular thing & the refining & retaining of those skills;  I see it as as process of self-awareness & growth. Its an important, character building, conscious step for children to take as they begin to feel rewarded, self confident & successful  in academics, sports, arts and relationships. It can mean the difference in meeting-and exceeding-their goals & dreams. Things they (and you) thought they could never do can be achieved through consistent practice.

As the school year draws to a close, its good to keep kids busy in activities they love or need to build skills in. Its tempting to slack off now as the excitement of 'summer freedom' comes, but keeping the mind, body and senses alert and sharp encourages fuller participation in activities & Life experiences & makes the transition to the new school year in the fall much easier. For kids, practice does not require long hours of tedious drills. Rather, make it unique and fun, whatever the activity. One topic or skill at a time for 10-15 minutes a few times a day. That's all that is needed.

Without consistent use of skills, we will lose what we are building on. This is especially true for children in ESY or receiving school based therapy, that lose those services for a time in the summer. Its frustrating for parents & a challenge for students to build those skills back to the level they were at prior to the end of school. As parents it is up to us to take control of the situation & for a few minutes a day find the fun in the practice & keep those skill levels consistent and where they need to be.

My daughter is learning in a very real way that practice does not guarantee that we suddenly become an expert and have learned all we need to learn. She is learning that it means that we are committed to our own personal growth & always striving towards our goals; becoming, doing & being our very best.
I hope that one day, she will be able to look back and appreciate how far she has come. I know I do.



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