new and overwhelmed

Hi, Veronika! Welcome!
Let me help you with your confusion.

Veronika wrote: Hello moms and dads, little and big musicians,

I am very happy to join the community of Soft Mozart! I am a mom of 2 boys, Daniel of 4 and Benjamin of almost 2.

Daniel has been playing with SM for about 2 months now. He loves it. I'll try to attach a video to this message if I can.

I do have a loooot of questions, I am overwhelmed by the huge amount of information and I feel that because of that I am freezing up and not doing anything in the end. So here my cry out for help

I understand you! You did the right thing by doing it here - so, we can hear you and help

My first problem that I encountered is that my mom "served" in the Russian piano school and conservatorium. By the time I was born, she said "never will I put my child through this agony". With the result I know zero about the piano, but love the instrument to death.

I have NO idea where the fingers go

Wait... here is our first important question. Are you following the curriculum? softmozart.com/forum/63-lesson-plans.html
The reason I am asking that the first piano pieces and exercises are built to create and development of fingers awareness. We have step by step ways to develop eye-hand coordination and only after that start working on other tasks. For example, if your child finished playing R, L or P of a piano piece, please, check the results on the right and left lower part of computer screen. If the amount of time ‘wasted’ much greater than amount of mistakes, your child on the stage of eye – hand coordination development and is not having enough ‘room’ to thinking about anything else. I would recommend you to read the following materials. There you will find more about the stages of skills development:
softmozart.com/forum/20-hellene-hiners-b...rite-a-new-book.html

I basically gave no instructions to Daniel on where to put his fingers. I told him to use all this fingers, and he does so. But I dont know if its correct or not, or is that not important for him yet?

You will experience that after progress with time (the amount of seconds wasted will be about the same or less than amount of correct notes), your son will be more perceptive about the correct fingering. After memorizing your piano pieces you can always polish the songs with our TEACHING VIDEOS. Thre you will be able to improve piano technique, posture and see the most optimal fingerings:
softmozart.com/forum/55-teaching-videos.html

Daniel also really doesnt want to sing the notes while he plays. Is that a big problem?

Not at the stage of eye-hand coordination.

I think I read somewhere that there is a possibility on this forum to have some sort of personal tutor who I can bother with all my questions?

Here we go! Yes! Today I am your personal tutor!

So, after this, I'm gonna blow a new wind in our lessons and pick them up with some regularity again!
How often do you play the piano at home? How often would you suggest I play (yes, for Daniel it is play, not train or learn, he has so much fun) with Daniel?

It has to be a lot like ‘meals’: often, but in small portions.

Here is the video of Daniel playing with two hands for the first time:
Here is him playing Old MacDOnald, at his own request:

Thank you!

It is great that your son loves music so much and picks the piano pieces! Our philosophy in teaching is that in learning we connect 3 times: past – present and future. We refer to our previous experience, learn what is currently needed to be learnt and take a pick to the future. The pieces that you selected so far are from close, but future. I would recommend you to stick with the lesson plan and start working on Introductory songs ( Hot Cross Buns, French Song, Jingle Bells etc) And write the numbers down to see, how do you progress!
If needed, send me a request to be connected on Skype, if you need more personalized assistance.

Welcome to our forum, Leslie!

limakilo wrote: I think new and overwhelmed describes me too!

My name is Leslie, and I have 2 children: Josephine (age 6) and Rovy (my son, aged 3). We have been watching the Hoffman academy video lessons for several weeks, and Josephine is practicing a little most days of the week.

I looked into early music programs for Rovy a few weeks ago, because he's interested and sings the solfege a fair bit, but doesn't want to try playing the piano much.

We have been using the trial version of Little Musician for the past week (which both kids LOVE) and we just received Soft Mozart. I put the solfege stickers on the piano for Rovy and he likes that; he's a little familiar with do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do because they have seen Sound of Music a few times.

However, although I have spent time looking at the forum, the SM user's manual, and looked through the sample one year curriculum, I am feeling confused as to how to start.

Is the sample one year curriculum for a child Rovy's age (3 years)?

Yes, I am developing more customised curriculum now and here you may find the guidelines for bot of your children: softmozart.com/forum/63-lesson-plans.html Please, chose Level Prep (B or C ) If B if too hard for your 3-year-old, A would be better for him.

What's the best way to get started for him?

The best way is to keep your Own Progress Diary and keep all the records about your music lessons with your children in the one place:
softmozart.com/forum/64-progress-diaries---2013-2014.html

This way you can have the most effective experience and receive feed back from me personally or from other teachers in our forum.

Also, I took piano as a child, I am an ok player. I find myself very confused by the vertical staff, but I guess it will be easier for the kids?

We have more comfortable visual presentations for you. Open Gentle piano and press on your computer keyboard 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and you will see, how the notation gradually change.