Seriously?!?

[NearlySpring]

Dd (6) REALLY would love to learn to play a musical instrument, quite a few children in her year at school have the lessons (we see them coming in with their cellos and violins).

Today I enquired about booking them for her. They are £17 per child for 30 mins lesson once a week This is for 3 children sharing the lesson. PLUS £80 per term to hire a child sized violin or cello.

I am a single parent and I work full time. I have a decent job and decent salary and we are comfortable, but this seems like such a large amount of money to pay out each term in addition to the clubs she already does.

So I was thinking today... I wonder how all the others afford it, I know for a fact that two of the kids who have the lessons have parents who don't work. I looked on the school website to find out that if you don't work you get FREE music lessons.

AIBU in feeling that music lessons are a luxury and shouldn't be free for people on benefits?

Maybe I AIBU and just a little green eyed that I work so hard and cannot afford something that I could get for free if I didn't work. Not benefit claimant bashing here, it's a hard time and many people are being made redundant, I totally understand lots of people on benefits right now just can't find work (I was in same position not all that long ago)....

But seriously, free music lessons?!?

Nope, I agree with you. We get free access to council run pools/gyms here, and I've found out today that they're changing the hours you can go so that only people who don't work normal hours can benefit. Totally unfair.

think they are ear marked to go in the cuts....

God, that's bloody steep.

For the same thing in DD's school (she is also at primary), it is £6.10 for a lesson with 3 people sharing.

Where in the country do you live? You can get cheaper music lessons than that, individual too.

You have a decent job, with a decent salary and are comfortable.

So why do you begrudge those that DON'T from having the opportunity to learn something as wonderful as music?

If you were in the position of being out of work not so long ago then tbh, that makes it even worse. Shame on you, you ARE benefit bashing, and worse, by stealth.

Are you sure it's specifically for parents who don't work - I find that quite unlikely tbh. Maybe it's for parents on benefits - there's a big difference! DH has a very low paid job so due to benefits we are entitled to things like this - but we aren't layabouts.

I don't think music is a luxury at all. The advantages of learning to read, appreciate and perform it should be available to the most disadvantaged, how could anyone object to that?

Happy to talk about how to arrange music lessons - but not if it turns into a "all these unemployed scroungers coming here taking our music lessons" type thread.

I don't think it's benefit bashing.

Free school meals - fair enough - kids need to eat.

Housing benefit - of course - people need a roof over their heads.

But violin lessons? They are not exactly a necessity are they? I thought that was the whole point of benefits - providing basic necessities.

Littlemiss, I work damn hard, and couldn't afford music lessons like the OP describes. The only reason they are free for some is because they are subsidised by others. If I was out of work suddenly and on benefits I'd be grateful to have enough money to pay the bills and eat. It's all these 'extras' that make life on benefits difficult to give up.

In my school, as in most, it tends to be all the same children who learn instruments, go on the theatre visits, join the paid after school clubs etc. - i.e. the children of nice supportive well off parents. I wouldn't begrudge free music lessons to parents who can't afford them, but imo that should include working parents below a certain income - not just those not working.

what a horrible attitude, necessity

Ring up piano teachers. You won't necessarily need to buy one, and the lessons will be much cheaper.

Perish the thought that children born into crushing disadvantage should have anything but the very basics of survival. What do the drones need music lessons for? It'll only make them dissatisfies with their lot in life.

We're very lucky here (London Borough) all school music lessons are free and if the kids show a talent for it..they get to attend the local adult college once a week to play there too.

My son started the violin in year 5 and by year 6 he got the opportunity to play with the London Symphony Orchestra...it was the highlight of his life (according to him)

Now he's in senior school (year 7) and it's still free...though it wouldn't surprise me if that stops soon due to the cuts.

I think possibly music, like pets, is disproportionatly beneficial to people at the bottom of society.

I would love to be able to comfortably afford music lessons for my dd who doesn't understand that she can't trade 30mins swimming lesson (£3.25) for a 30 min violin lesson (£17.50). I could possibly afford it with juggling, which a parent on benefits isn't in a position to do, so I can't protest too much. Its easy to feel jealous when someone gets something for free that you have to pay through the nose for but unless you would genuinely swap place with them then its not an "I wish I had" jealously, its more of a "they shouldn't have" jealousy.

£17 is loads for a shared lesson. Are the paying children directly subbing the free children? I doubt whoever pays for the free dcs (council?) is paying £51 for a 30 min for 3 dcs.

You may think it's a horrible attitude but I think it's fairly sensible not to spend tax payers money on music lessons when there are so many cuts going on in far more essential parts of peoples lives right now.

And there are plenty of ways to get involved in music, no matter if you have money or not. For example, in my local town anyone from age 7 upwards can join the town band and get free lessons and free instrument hire. I'm sure that's not the only scheme like this...

I agree that a love a music shouldn't be a privilege of the "rich", but neither should lessons at school be made so expensive that working parents cannot afford them while those whose parents rely on benefits get them entirely free.

I agree that benefits should provide the basics only, what incentive otherwise is there to go out to work, if not to provide more/better for yourself and your fmaily?

Wow that seems a lot, is that £17 PER lesson ie every week? So over a £100 a term PLUS the £80 instrument hire, that sounds a lot!
At my DD1 school (Yr 4 age 9), she does trumpet from the start of Yr 3. She has a school trumpet FREE of charge from when she started till she gives up or finishes Yr 6. It costs £40 PER term, which i think is about £6 a lesson. Good value.

as if someone is going to not work and forgo all the advantages that brings rather than give up free or subsidised music tuition

it's incredibly mean to begrudge poorer children any sort of enriching opportunity just because you might struggle to prioritise the arts in your own life

OP That's far too steep. I pay £15.00 for 1/2 hour INDIVIDUAL piano lesson.

You are claimant bashing, and music is a necessity actually.

But don't worry- no-one in state schools will be having music lessons at all very shortly- music services across the country are being cut making efficiency savings.

When I was claiming benefits ( I had been made redundant) I was very grateful for free money to eat and pay the bills / rent etc. I would never have expected FREE music lessons. You are out of work therefore you tighten the purse strings. That how it goes.

I DO think music lessons should be subsidised for those who are unable to work due to disabilities etc or for those who work but on a low income. They should use the money they are spending on giving people on JSA free music lessons for these subsidies.