Howdy F13...

My wife and I (currently) have 4 daughters. Two biological, one adopted, one foster ... that's a whole 'nother story though.

My adopted daughter is 5 years old, and ever since she could speak she's been singing. She can pitch match and can hear a song 1 time and sing it with the radio from then forward. She knows every dang song on KSBJ in Houston and is constantly belting them out.

As parents, we're constantly having to tell her "M, we love your singing, but it's so loud - if you want to sing go to your room!"

However, I hate dampening her singing and spirit; I feel like we're teaching her that singing out loud is something wrong. I grew up playing percussion and was in the Aggie Band (whoop!). I got a drum set in high school and never was allowed to play it because it was so loud in the house - so it discouraged me from practicing and getting better. Since getting married and having my own house, I picked the set back up and play in my church praise band (not great at it, but good enough - better than serviceable but not gonna knock anyone's socks off).

So, back to my daughter. I want to turn this into a positive thing with some structure. How does one begin singing lessons and set reasonable rules for musical children on where and when they can make noise to practice. At 5 years old, what equipment could I purchase to help her get better at singing? Is there anything to help her out like a karaoke machine, or a small / portable recording setup that could somehow help with her training?

She tells my wife and I all the time she's going to be up on the church stage one day, "like daddy"... and I want to support her achieving that.

She really is talented but needs guidance that I can't give her.

Have her sing in the church band you are playing in.

Find community theatre or a local kids theatre troop.

They will embrace her love of singing, temper her need to sing all the time, give her a resume and experience for college scholarships, and make life long friendships

Is their not a youth choir at church?

I would find a voice instructor and get her going on lessons. From their I'm sure the instructor would know how else to get her involved.

Is she in a private Christian school? I swear we had choir from the day we were born at cypress bible/cccs

Thought it didn't post

Send her to church with friends or family that go to the Church of Christ. An old school one that still sings a cappella and out of hymnals.

Singing praise and worship music in unison where they sing the same verse or chorus twenty times in a row before wrapping up and doing it again in the next song isn't going to challenge her.

Putting her into a congregation of people singing in four or more parts with the staff and notes on the page will open doors for her musically.

When it came time for sight reading contest in high school, our director would encourage choir kids to tag along with the CofC kids to prepare for a few weeks.

If they have youth groups that meet outside of regular service times, you could do that instead. They always have singing.

Talk to someone at the church. Ask them if they have suggestions. They might have been in the same boat growing up.

While it may make you money, don't take the Joe Jackson approach. Listen to the other posters