Cut the meatball!

My kids have a problem with learning new pieces. From one reason only:
I still haven't met a kid that actually enjoys that process and if my memory serves me right I didn't really enjoy it either when I was little.

By learning a new piece I mean: reading notes one by one, then linking them and being careful of the rhythm, watching all the signs (sharpeners, diminish, crescendo/decrescendo)...all the "boring" stuff as kids perceive them.

And because they don't like the boring stuff, they're not careful so they make mistakes= they become cranky, impatient and some become fine with knowing just one song really well and playing it the whole time.

Kids want to play the song as soon as possible .They want the final product and they want it fast.
They want it so much that they will struggle, ignore mistakes and move on just to get to the last bar.

*I am just coming out of a piano lesson so this is really funny for me*

Then I jump in and ask them to play the first two bars 5 times, challenging them to concentrate really hard and play everything right (instead of saying "with no mistakes").
Then I ask them to do the same thing with the following two bars.
Finally I ask them to link all 4 bars.

In no time they know the first section and have a surprised, almost shocked happy smile with little proud sparkle in their eyes.

At the end of this "miraculous" process, I ask them if their Mum ever cooks meatballs? (some mums apparently make really small meatballs so I then have to find a different object to make my point)

Q: "Do you put the whole meatball in your mouth and eat it in one bite"?
A: "Nooooooooooooooo" (giggles)
Q: "Well, why not"?
A: "Because it's too big and I will choke".
Q: "So, what do you do"?
A: "My Mum cuts it for me".

Always cut the meat ball, and be sure you will not choke.
If you then chew patiently and with full awareness, the digestion will be better as well:)

How often (in a situation that makes us feel impatient, stuck, incompetent...)the whole point is to just Cut the meatball??!!