Zeb’s always enjoyed plunking around on the piano, creating his own songs or following along in our Teach Yourself Piano book. Until just a couple weeks ago, when he decided he wanted to really learn but didn’t exactly like the thought of “lessons” with a stranger.

That is until I mentioned asking GG to teach him. His face lit up and his eyes sparkled and he loved the idea. We called GG, who agreed if he was ready to learn that she would love to teach him.
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His first lesson was today. He had some basic knowledge of the keys, and showed her some of the songs he already knew. She worked with him on finger placement, scales and taught him the difference between “Every Good Boy Does Fine” and FACE. He listened intently, followed her fingers and later told me he intends to practice daily. (Even if our piano is slightly out of tune.)

I sat and soaked up the moment. It was just too great to see her pass on her piano knowledge to her grandson, encouraging and smiling and enjoying each other.
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I recently commented on Idzie’s blog post Teaching vs Learning about how I wasn’t opposed to the word “teaching” when it’s not used to describe coercive learning; when it’s about that “passing on of knowledge” from one wise person to an eager learner like I saw today. It’s the true definition of the word, in my mind, regardless of the sometimes warped definition we see today.

I don’t know how much Zeb will choose he wants to learn. I don’t know whether he’ll practice daily, as he says. I don’t know that he’ll take this anywhere. I just know that he was happy to share the experience with someone he cherishes so deeply. I know his Grandma is in full support of him having fun and leading the way. And I know he’ll remember his lessons with GG forever.

(This post is part of the Moms’ 30-Minute Blog Challenge. Can you believe it?)

We were blessed to have space and inherited their old piano. This sweet thing has been in the family for nearly five decades and now adorns my dining room. If you press down on several of the keys you can see the names of my grandparents and aunts and uncle lightly scrawled in pencil by a rambunctious 5 year old in the 60′s.

On occasion, Zeb will sit down on the piano seat his great-great-grandmother embroidered and play around with the keys. He has such an ear for music and rhythm and despite the piano being slightly out of tune, I love to hear him plunk away on it. We found a few “Teach Yourself Piano” books, which he loves to use to play Christmas carols in June or teach himself chords. But mostly he loves to create his own songs. Tuesday, he had sat down for no more than 10 minutes and put together a few notes that I’ve been humming every since. Perhaps someday (maybe even in his 70′s) he’ll decide to expand his piano skill as well. Until then I’m enjoying things like this that prove to my mom that her grandson is, in fact, a genius: