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Is this too much?

(31 Posts)

By Thu 05-Nov-09 10:45:04 Add message | Report | Contact poster

dd got £50 birthday money from her grandma back in July to spend on a hobby of her choosing.

dd wanted to take guitar lessons, she's always been keen on learing the guitar. We've never been able to track down a tutor so the cheque has been sitting on the table in the hall.

Last night I saw an ad in the local paper offering guitar tuition for adults and children. I phoned him up, it's £14 for a half hour lesson, so I booked 4. Now dh is going mad saying that it's too expensive.

My argument is that this is dd's birthday money, 4 lessons are a start and it's what she wants to spend it on. He's fuming that we are throwing that money down the drain, we'd be better off spending it on a guide uniform to get her into the guides, or a decent guitar for her etc. He resents giving it to this man for a half hour session, he says it's a rip off.

It's true that we won't be able to carry on with the lessons after the 4 I've booked, but dd says that if she likes the lessons, she'd want to spend her Christmas money on some more.

So what is your verdict Mumsnet? Is it a rip at £14 for half an hour, does dh have a point? Or is the money dd's to spend on what she wants?

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:57:35

My DS has just started drum lessons which are £10 for half an hour, I pay four weekly and sit outside in the car as the teacher says that parents in the room can inhibit the child. I used to pay £7 for 20 mins for the school piano teacher so round here (Midlands) £20 per hour would seem to be the norm.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:52:54

That's good, it means she can skip forward a bit on the lessons. Otherwise she could spend the first couple just learning the notes on the page instead of on the guitar.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:46:04

She can read a bit, yes.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:43:17

I think it's a really really good idea to start her off with a few 'proper' lessons.

She can then takethat knowledge and build on it, perhaps with teh help of your DH.

Can she read music? 'Cause that's half the battle.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:41:47

I will peedoff, but I do think the lessons will provide her with a good, basic start and we've not spent the money on anything else. In my mind, it's wasted just sitting on the table in the hall.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:37:05

buy a simple guitar book - if he plays and can read music, it should be easy to do a few basic lessons on what the notes are, how you play them, just by her copying him

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:33:51

Dh resents it because he plays guitar and mandolin and although I've begged him to teach dd, he's not a natural teacher and doesn't really know where to begin. He's self-taught too.

I think going to Swindon and back every Saturday morning might be a step too far, it would probably work out the same cost anyway once you add the petrol up.

If this is something that dd is keen on then I'll support her all the way. I understand that dh is particularly worried about finances these days and probably doesn't want to have to stop something that dd is getting into. He's taken a pay cut and is feeling really low that he can no longer provide for us all. But I'm hoping that my work will start paying soon so I can pay for her out of my wages, or we can save up every Christmas/birthday.

If she doesn't get on with it, fine, at least we tried. If she does then it'll be worth it.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:10:00

OP - surely your DH realises though that as a self employed music teacher, that person is very likely to be workng less than half full time working hours, and possibly not at all during the school hols, so they are not raking it in. They have to pay insurance (if you go to their home) and for their own CRB check. They get no sick pay. It really is not that great a deal financially!

and yes i do think that sounds about right - we pay £9 / 20mins clarinet for DD1

DDs money so her choice - who knows, it might prove to be her thing and she could become famous, or want to teach music herself. has he thought about the fact that if you do NOT let her do this, she will resent it always?

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:08:28

DP is a musician and teaches kids and adults, mostly my cousins for pennies hmm

but a couple of 'real' pupils for £10.

He is grade 8 piano and violin but self taught guitar, and doesn't have any teaching quals so doesn't see himself as a real teacher, hence the low prices (people keep foisting more money on him and he keeps refusing hmm

).

It might be worth asking around local bands to see if any one wants to make a bit of extra cash, certainly while she's at the beginner level. YOu could offer half the going rate. Obviously they wouldn't be CRB checked (DP is because I'm a CM but I'm always in the house anyway) but you could stay for the lesson.

That's how DP got started with his proper pupils, a Mum approached him at a gig (she works in the pub) and asked if he'd teach her son.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:01:49

i think you need someone to teach you the basics, it's easier than using a book. but once you know the basics it's easier to use tabs on the internet etc

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Is this too much?