Aren't you just teaching her that she needs to do what you say? Her motivation isn't coming from herself so it doesn't seem like a good lesson in persevering - at some point you will not be there or not be able to tell her what to do - what then? And for an anecdote I know 3 people who learned cello as a kid, and none of them play any music any more and pretty much stopped immediately after they left their parents home. Maybe a piano or guitar player could keep it up, but cello isn't something you tote to a house party to jam on with friends.

This is how I grew up to hate hockey.

Your job is to help her understand why practicing scales is a good idea (which I'm not sure it is, but that's not the point). Probably the best way is to find a great cello player who would explain to her why it's a good idea. That's of course if she actually wants to become a cello player.

As in, she likes the other bits about cello?

Yes.

That sounds like a great way to make her resent playing an instrument when she's grown up.

I learned (soprano and alto) recorder when I was young, in evening classes at a music school (East Germany), and started learning to play violin a few years ago (which turned out to be _the_ instrument for me, I can't stop and after a few years I know it's not short term). I had always practiced a bit on the recorder on and off. Fortunately nobody had forced me to continue music school. When I was young I had sooo many other interests. Being told what to do can hardly be a recipe to create a person that acts on their own? Sounds more like a recipe of trying to educate somebody who follows orders well.

As far as I know almost all of the top musicians were forced to practice for long hours starting from a very young age. If you want your child to become a good musician it seems almost necessary to do so. Most children of course eventually stop playing because they don't like it, but those who don't tend to be thankful for the forced practice.