The guitar Fairy- a cautionary tale to parents

I've been reading this GREAT book about the brain and teaching. One of the strategies it talks about is the power of a novel situation. Emory's guitar has been going pretty well over the last month but in the last few days he has had a renewed resistance to the project. So I decided to apply some teaching strategies to parenting. After giving it some thought I told Emory that someone very special was going to come and do guitar with him that night.

"Who IS it?" he asks.

"The guitar fairy! She said that she made some special time to come and play with you."

"Oh when is she coming??"

"Pretty soon, why don't you go downstairs and play and then when you hear the door bell ring that will be her."

He happily left. I went to my room to go put on my costume. One wedding veil and tiara later, complete with cape and funny shoes, I sneaked out of the house and rang the doorbell.

"It's the fairy the fairy!" I hear from inside the house, followed by excited feet climbing the stairs. I see the curtain pull open and an excited face peek out of the house.

SILENCE

"MAMA MAMA MAMA THERE IS A SCARY STRANGER OUTSIDE!!!! MAMA MAMA MAMA"

As I hear feet frantically running away and tears pouring out loudly, I realize, no guitar is going to happen that night.