Hi! I’m Carly – the creator of Busy Kids Do Piano and the face you see in all those lesson videos.
I’ve been teaching piano for 18 years in all kinds of different settings — including classrooms, my home studio and facilities that serve kids with special needs.
When I first started teaching lessons, my set up was exactly the same as the way I (and maybe you) have been taught — private half hour lessons where a student sits on a bench for the entire half hour playing through her exercises and repertoire as I give feedback.
And then something happened. I became a mom.
Picture taken when I thought bangs worked for me.
During my firstborn’s preschool years, I realized how much I wanted to enhance her musical learning beyond just mommy & me music classes. She was interested and excited about piano, but none of the pedagogy methods & techniques I had learned in college seemed fit for a 3- & 4-year-old.
It was then that I discovered the Music for Young Children method and became a trained and certified teacher in their program. The MYC method really meets children where they are at, and is a wholistic, play-based approach to learning piano and pre-piano skills. Through my training, my mind was opened to new ideas and approaches to helping create a lifelong love of learning in my students. Learning to play the piano certainly involves discipline – but it should also involve plenty of fun!
I also began to see the importance of a relational approach to piano lessons. Because the MYC method requires parents to attend classes with their children, my MYC parents were able to really nurture their child’s learning and were very involved with their practicing in between lessons.
A few years into my new approach to teaching, our family welcomed our son through adoption.
And then the real chaos began!
With one child, we had the luxury of enrolling in whatever activity she wanted. Our schedule revolved around her! With 2 kids — and one who required some additional services due to developmental differences — our schedules were not quite so simple. When firstborn began school, it became even more complicated to juggle things during the limited after-school hours.
In an effort not to over-exert myself OR our kids, we began to cut back. We wanted our children to have down-time after school, rather than being towed from one activity to the next. We dropped team sports in favor of playing at the neighborhood park. We dropped ballet in favor of rocking out to Michael Jackson videos on YouTube while Mom cooks dinner (just keeping it real for you all).
But the one thing I knew was non-negotiable for cutting out of my children’s lives was piano lessons.
I knew too much about the benefits to their brains — the way music enhances all forms of learning. I knew too much about the emotional health that comes from learning to play an instrument. And I knew that knowing how to play the piano for its own sake is something that has greatly enriched my life in so many ways.
Because I am a piano teacher, this is obviously an activity that doesn’t require a great deal of exertion for us. I don’t have to tow kids to piano lessons and entertain one while the other is in his lesson. I don’t have to worry about eating dinner in the car since that’s the only time our piano teacher had available for lessons. I don’t have to worry about juggling lessons with 4-H events or after-school-playdates or my child being so exhausted that dragging her across town for a lesson is about the last thing she wants to do.
I work with my kids on their piano studies whenever it fits into our day and I know that they are in a “good spot” to do work. Sometimes this means waiting until my husband is home and can entertain one or the other. Sometimes this means helping my daughter through a particularly challenging piece of music during my son’s Saturday nap.
It’s organic. It’s fun. It’s flexible.
I started to wonder how I could bring the same relational, flexible approach to learning the piano to others….and that’s when I came up with Busy Kids Do Piano.
In April of 2016, I launched Busy Moms Do Piano – an online course for the busy adult learner. I wanted the parents of my students to feel capable in helping their child as he practiced during the week in a way that felt stress-free.
I started thinking about how to implement an online approach when it came to educating children. Drawing upon my knowledge, training, and years of experience as a piano teacher and a mom, I began to design materials that allowed parents to come alongside their child as a musical partner and guide 
using a flexible and affordable approach.
I get it – the whole idea of learning to play the piano online might seem strange to you. It’s not how we are used to thinking of piano lessons, right? But as I watch other students learn and grow through this program, and have moms write to me and share their relief and excitement that they were able to implement this course in a way that worked well for their busy families, I feel confident that YOUR FAMILY can do this, too!
I’m thrilled that you’re here – and that you’re interested in pursuing piano lessons for your little one. In addition to my courses, I have lots of resources in place to help you navigate your musical journey. Be sure to visit my BLOG for lots of informational posts about music education and CLICK HERE to download my free resource guide, Piano Lessons 101: Everything you need to to get started.
I want to be here for you every step of the way!
Let’s do this — together!
Busy Moms Do Piano LLC is a proud donor to the following non-profits & organizations:
7:9 Scholarship to Martin Luther College