The expectations of parents

[pianissimo123]

what do you think is the craziest demand a parent has put upon you?
 

[nanabush]

A parent of a kid I teach once asked me "so we want our daughter to take her grade 3 exam this summer. so we signed her up for grade 3 piano, grade 3 history, grade 3 harmony, grade 3 keyboard harmony"

I say "you are insane.  unbook ALL of these exams immediately"



The girl was on ABC level 3, and the exam was in 3 months for Grade 3 RCM (which is MUCH harder than ABC level 3)

Grade 3 of any type of theory/history goes with at least Grade 8 piano in Canada.

Damn some parents don't know how to read ANYTHING.

[Bob]

Push their kid hard so they become a professional musician.  This person was a music teacher.  They also knew a professional music who played the same instrument the kid was playing.  Typical kid.  I remember something about them asking a high school kid to also tutor her. 

I also had another student who wanted "professional lessons" one summer.  Except it was a group lesson situation and it was a large group.  It wasn't the best situation for a lot of one on one work.  Not another happy camper there.

Most of the strange ones are people who expect and demand something other than what the situation is.

[rgh55]

a parents who wants his children to learn music theory so they can play by ear. The kids are 9 and 12 and have just entered level 2.  (I think this will take some years of studying.)

[mike saville]

I think we've all seen 'pushy' parents - that's OK we can manage those expectations usually.

My grievance is with those that expect lessons when they can make it, whatever time of the day or night that is . .. . "No, I'm afraid I can't teach this Sunday at 10pm . . . " no matter how many times you tell some people they don't listen.

[lostinidlewonder]

"I want you to teach them how to sight read so they can read anything straight away and play it"

..... right, have you got 20 years to invest?

[mrsmusic13]

<<Damn some parents don't know how to read ANYTHING>

Makes me wonder who these parent spoke to before they made this stupid decision. I don't let parents fill out anything. I fill out the forms, hand them to the parent to be signed, and make sure they pay

<<My grievance is with those that expect lessons when they can make it, whatever time of the day or night that is . .. . "No, I'm afraid I can't teach this Sunday at 10pm . . . " no matter how many times you tell some people they don't listen>>


Those are the parents who think you have no life and the world revolves around them.
Oh btw, could you fit me in at 2 AM tomorrow?

Take Care, Lou

Do you have a policy re. lessons, makeups etc.?  

[go12_3]

I am lucky that I do not have parents that demand  at the moment  *phew*.
But, I have one parent a year ago, wanted her 7 year old son to begin lessons. 
I told her the rule I have is that the age of 8 is when I begin to teach and she realized that.
Her 2 older sons were(and still are) taking lessons from me and the family is musical , plus
her sons do practice.  So I went ahead and started to teach her 7 year old son, with a one month trial, to make sure he was interested and would continue with lessons; 
much to my delight and surprise, he enjoys the lessons just fine. 
I don't talk much to the parents because they don't understand what I am doing anyhow.
Less said the better.  As long as I know my students are progressing and if a parent has a
concern or a question, they can give me a call or email me.