By the second or third year parents are sometimes comparing their kids with friends who have developed certain skills. But the kids who focus only on skills drop music if their experience has been joyless. My approach is first and foremost creative. I encourage the students to compose and alter pieces, so long as they are aware of the composer's intentions. The idea is for the student to collaborate with the music.
Pop music is often collaborative and creative.
Classical music can be forbidding. Masters in any field make you want to follow. Any good teacher needs a certain amount of theater. I try to bring some drama to the lesson, which allows energy to continue rather than short-circuit. As in the theater where each audience is different, each student is different.