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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect a parent to pull a 4 year old down after he has climbed onto a grand piano?

41 replies

twentypence · 26/05/2007 06:49

Father said to teacher - "well how much does one cost?"

In what universe is it okay to climb onto a musical instrument?

(no special needs, dad was talking to him as he climbed up and crawled across it, both parents put out that he was not allowed to "express himself" in this way).

OP posts:
GrandMasterHumphreyLyttelton · 26/05/2007 11:00

His right to "Express himself" does not render anyone's else's right to express themselves null and void.

I would've expressed myself with words like "Oi!" and "get off there now!" and some rather agressive body language, possibly involving gently grabbing said child and, in the manner of a fairy or perhaps Mother Theresa, dumping him on the bottom step with a "Sit there!"

Twig speaks the truth. Sentences you will never hear:

"Tarquin, stop it now, or you will not have an ice cream!"

"Farquar, if you do that again there will be no tv."

Sentences you will hear:

"Tarquin, darling, Mummy will be a teensy bit cross if you pour sand in the baby's eyes again. Why don't you come here and have an entire tub of Ben & Jerry's?" (smug look-at-how-good-I-am-at-distraction face)

"Farquar, sweetums, I know you love kicking the shit out of old ladies, but please stop it cutie-pie, pleasey weasey woo."

DeviousDaffodil · 26/05/2007 10:49

Outrageous!
What about respecting other people's property.
Some parents have no idea.
Sounds like they are raising a little monster.

Original poster
twentypence · 26/05/2007 10:39

He climbed up the stool, stood on the bit that goes over the keys and then crawled across the top. When I alerted the teacher he was looking as if he might stand up and jump off.

And he's 4 and a half.

OP posts:
emat · 26/05/2007 10:34

He was 4!!!!

idiot parents

FrannyandZooey · 26/05/2007 10:32

He was on top of it?

was the dad taking the piss?

kitbit · 26/05/2007 10:29

shocked that he was even allowed on it in the first place. Annoyed as a mum and distraught as a pianist!
Free expression AAARRGGGHHHHH ...yes kids have to express themselves but they also have to be given boundaries and taught social skills. You have to know the rules in order to be flexible about them. Even worse, he was being allowed to express himself at the expense of others. GRRR

Coming off soapbox now. If any child had been allowed to climb on my piano the whole family would have been politely requested to express themselves elsewhere. [grumpy old bag emoticon]

Original poster
twentypence · 26/05/2007 09:16

She told him it was worth $60K, but then rather ruined the effect by giggling nervously. It wasn't my class - I would have used my stern voice.

They had been telling another mother how difficult it was finding a school for him. Yes, well it would be difficult to find one that would find it acceptable to climb all over a piano when he was supposed to be learning something.

OP posts:
Twiglett · 26/05/2007 09:06

I hope teacher said "about 7 and a half grand now teach your brat some manners idiot"

Twiglett · 26/05/2007 09:05

'and this is a posh music class'

is that like posh kids have better behaviour standards .. because in the last 6 years I've come to the conclusion that sometimes, the posher the parents the less able they are to be a parent (rather than an enabler of 'free-expression' to the detriment of other children / precious objects) whilst looking around as though everyone should be in raptures over Tarquin or Cassandra

(which reminds me, why the hell would one name a child after a prophetess of doom?)

PippiLangstrump · 26/05/2007 08:41

Aargh I feel like garotting the dad myself!!

harpsichordcarrier · 26/05/2007 08:40
Shock
Original poster
twentypence · 26/05/2007 08:26

Piano was all closed up with lid down.

This is the same boy who kicked a girl in the face last week, and his mother dismissed it as an accident.

And this is a posh music class!

OP posts:
Nemo2007 · 26/05/2007 08:05

reagardless of how much it cost you teach your children not to clamber all over other peoples possessions whether it is a grand piano or a car boot sale table!!!

YANBU · 26/05/2007 08:04

Hand the parents a bill for a replacement grand piano.

PigeonPie · 26/05/2007 08:00

Just a lack of respect for precious objects, both from the parents and the child, but the child won't know any better with a father like that.

domesticgrumpess · 26/05/2007 07:55

This reply has been deleted

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