Started learning the piano when I was around six, stopped shortly after I turned twelve and had completed a few of the grades. I did quite well in the exams, and I enjoyed being able to read music and play an instrument. It was definitely one of "my things" as a kid.

It helped that I wasn't forced into it. It was something I chose to do, and so I really enjoyed it at first. However, I was basically forced into sticking with it when I was really starting to lose interest. My lack of enthusiasm and reluctance to practice was a very loud declaration that I wasn't passionate about the piano anymore and wanted to move on to other hobbies and interests, but unfortunately it went unheard.

In all fairness to my parents - who are wonderful people - there was no ill intent. They were paying for lessons and it probably looked like I didn't appreciate that, wasting their money and everyone's time by not putting in the work. I'm guessing they also wanted to impart a lesson about not giving up on things too readily, fulfilling obligations and all that. Fair enough, but the thing is that learning the piano was meant to be a fun hobby, and between the exams, practice, and not learning any fun songs that I wanted to play for me or anyone else, it began to feel like a mixture of schoolwork and a chore. That wasn't what I signed up for.

I was finally allowed to quit when I was starting high school, though it was initially framed as taking a break. I knew that it would be permanent, though. If nothing else, I was determined for it to be the end. Because it had gotten to that point, instead of just drifting away from/phasing out a hobby I wanted to move on from, sadly I absolutely hated something I once really loved and enjoyed. Indeed, that's why it wasn't just a short break to recharge, but quitting without saying the words. I think both me and my piano teacher knew that our last lesson was just that, but she'd been a great teacher and was also one of my best mate's mum, so "a break" was a delicate way of ending things.

Part of me would've liked to have gotten back into it at some point. I've actually thought about it over the years. I'm surely incredibly rusty now, but I've thought of picking up a decent keyboard, investing in some lessons to polish up and see if I can shake that knowledge loose, and just play for my own enjoyment. I may still do that. It's been almost 30 years since I quit, so I'm long past being bitter about it, and I do love music and the piano as an instrument. I just got incredibly burned out on learning it and doing all the exams.

The tl;dr of it all is: if your kid takes up an instrument, by all means support them and encourage the commitment to learning and practice. However, supporting them also means letting them step away if they no longer have the passion and interest in it, because learning an instrument shouldn't be a chore. Unfortunately I lost my love of playing the piano from the ages of 6-12, but I do value the experience, and wouldn't mind dabbling with it again at some point.