[rlawton]

That’s why I stoppped teaching piano. So many kids would show up to lessons without practicing. My wife is a second grade teacher and is very frustrated because she asks parents to practice reading with their kids and most don’t.

You might need to get creative and add a little “extrinsic motivation”. Maybe give them a practice journal that needs to be signed by their parents and offer a reward for practicing or even have weekly contests to see who can practice the most. Of course quality of practice matters greatly.