WIBU to ask my piano pupils to wash their hands?

[Delphine31]

I am just about to restart teaching piano after a gap of a few years.

I am finding the idea of children coming straight from school not having washed their hands for hours a bit grim. This isn't helped by me becoming immuno-compromised in the last couple of years meaning that I'm a bit paranoid about picking up germs.

Would it be unreasonable for me to ask my pupils to wash their hands when they arrive?

As a parent, would you think this strange?

I'd rather not explain to the parents about being immuno-compromised to justify the hand-washing, not because I'm secretive about these things but because I want the focus to be on the child when they arrive for their first lesson.

[Bisgetti]

I always ask the dc to wash their hands when we come in from outside. You could get a big bottle of alco-gel like they have in hospitals close to the piano.

[londonrach]

Think its abit strange but im not a parent. Gel?

[wowfudge]

Not at all - I can't see the problem with that and would think it was completely reasonable and normal. You will have a number of people touching the keys, etc. I imagine the parents of your students would actually find it reassuring. Just provide whatever anti-bacterial/anti-viral handwash you need.

[DancingDinosaur]

I wouldn't think its strange at all.

[merrymouse]

I think its fine to assume that children coming in from school will want to wash their hands as part of preparation for their lesson.

[TheCowThatLaughs]

It's fine anyway I think, you don't want a piano covered in grime and grease from lots of little hands, even if you weren't immunocompromised

[mausmaus]

yanbu
my old teacher sent us to the sink before lessons.
it's only sensible!

[MrsCurrent]

No, not at all. Make it a routine before starting, tell them once this is what you do cos loads of people touch that piano and you don't want them picking up something off someone else. My kids hands get disgusting so I would think it was perfectly reasonable.

[MrsTawdry]

No! YANBU! I used to be a face painter...massive queues...long hot summer days....kids covered in snot and icecream. I used to ask their parents to clean their faces. The amount of parents who thought it reasonable to present me with a manky faced kid and expect me to use my brushes on it!

BLEGH!

[hiddenhome]

Can't you just get an antibacterial wipe and give the keys a wipe down before each child arrives?

[merrymouse]

Agree about possibility of germs being transferred from child to child via piano keys. Particularly at this time of year coughs and colds are a real pain.

Also, my children's hands are often quite muddy from outside play when they leave school - much less hassle and embarrassment if they just have to wash their hands before every lesson than you having to check and tell them they are dirty.

[feebeecat]

YANBU especially at this time of year.
Dds have piano lessons at teachers house & lay-out/timings might make hand-washing a bit time consuming and intrusive in her home (wouldn't fancy having all those children trooping through my house!). Think I'd go with gel next to piano.

[Crockershite]

Of course yanbu.
I would be glad you where thinking about it.
Everyone benefits when hands are routinely washed.

[Clarabell33]

YANBU. My DM (who taught piano) wouldn't even let me touch our piano at home until I'd washed my hands. It was just normal for her pupils to wash hands before their lesson, and sometimes she would tell them to cut their nails before their next lesson too - more about the clicking than hygiene, but still, if you're using someone else's kit, then it's reasonable to expect you to be in the appropriate condition for using that kit, which does mean clean hands for the piano.

[MissDuke]

YANBU. Just be sure and make sure it is obvious to everyone that it is routine - 'ok so the first thing we do is wash our hands!' in a cheerful voice so the parent doesn't think it is just directed at their child

[GingerbreadPudding]

Gel doesn't get rid of dirt. I'd just explain it was part of the practice - respect for the instrument and preserving the keys (if they're ivory) or making it easier to play as clean keys are easier for fingers to slide on and off from.

[LadyLuck10]

Yanbu at all. Keep some wipes or gel for when they arrive. Then you will know for sure it's washed.

[Delphine31]

Thank you all for responding. I feel reassured that I can ask for a quick handwash on arrival now. I'd rather do that than hand gel as washing is more effective and will get rid of mud/food etc as well.

My bathroom is the first room you come to upstairs so I don't think that it will be too intrusive or time consuming. I will just need to make sure my bathroom is always very tidy which isn't a bad thing anyway!

[dietcokeandwine]

Totally sensible OP.

Used to learn the piano and teacher always asked me to wash hands before the lesson.

You don't even need to use health issues as the reason. Just explain to pupils and parents that you want to keep piano keys as clean as possible and keys can very quickly get filthy if you don't keep hands clean. Let's face it, a piano is one of the most beautiful musical instruments there is-totally reasonable that you want to look after yours!

[WooWooOwl]

It's fine. Get some of that nice bubble gum or strawberry laces smelling soap for your pupils to use, they will like it.

[UnrelatedToElephants]

My piano lessons (in the school music room) used antibac wipes on the keys, and antibac gel on the hands.

YANBU.

[TheOnlyWayThrough]

You could do it from the angle of:

'LOTS of people play this piano, let's not all share our germs'.

I wouldn't have a problem with it. I never had a hand-washing ritual, but definitely understood the piano was something to treat with respect and not touch with sticky fingers, so YANBU.

[MeAndMySpoon]

Of course it's not unreasonable - I think I've heard of this being part of the routine of a piano lesson. As well as being hygienic, it might get the pupils into the 'zone' for their lesson - make them approach the instrument with respect, etc.

[Jill2015]

YANBU make it just part of the routine, no need to get into explanations. It's a good habit anyway IMO.

[DataColour]

YANBU at all. I thought it was the done thing.