Thanks for my piano.

"Not bad, Mr. Connors. You say this is your first lesson?"

"Yes, but my father was a piano mover, so."

Theo started piano lessons last year and he practiced on our keyboard/electric piano which we kept in the basement. It was difficult to supervise and to get him to practice, so after a month or two of that, I convinced Matt we needed to get a bona fide piano that we could keep in the living room. 

We got a bit of a junker because it fit our budget and because we have rambunctious kids (who promptly broke a few keys before learning the hard way to respect the thing). We chose a spinet style because it's the smallest available, and our living room is also the smallest available.

7 or so months later, I can confidently say that I LOVE having a real piano. I play it much more frequently than I played the keyboard because it's so accessible. Theo doesn't have to be nagged to practice. Ida started lessons this fall and even Lars has learned a few little ditties. It's loud and a tiny bit off-key, and it takes up more room than I'd like in that small space, but I just love having it. It's gratifying to watch their progress and to see in action the principle that a little bit at a time goes a long way in the end.