While it's true that piano lessons can teach kids a variety of important life skills, becoming a very skilled pianist isn't a common outcome.

In my experience teaching piano, the pursuit of piano lessons for the specific purpose of becoming a good pianist is a much better fit for adults.

Adult students often develop piano skills faster than kids.

Even though children tend to grasp musical concepts more intuitively, they often struggle with developing outcome-oriented practice routines and sustaining them over a long period of time.

Adults, on the other hand, tend to create stronger habits and learn to find enjoyment from their success, which propels them forward to bigger and better things. As a result, the beginner phase tends to be much shorter.

Adult students have a different end in mind.

They usually attend piano lessons because they want to achieve a specific music-related end. They aren't in it for the life skills.

Children often want a musical end as well, but they can't imagine the future nearly as far out as adults can. As a result, children tend to focus on the experience of each lesson, while adults focus on their musical goals.

It's never too late to take piano lessons.

The entire experience of learning, listening, and developing musically is a very human endeavor. This endeavor is realized more convincingly having experienced the various pains and pleasures of life.

Developing one's abilities to the point of interpreting a beautiful nocturne or sonata is an incredibly satisfying achievement. The journey to this point is also very rewarding. It's never too late to start.