AIBU to have said "no" to piano lessons in these circumstances?

[Mumite]

My DS (just 6) was due to start piano lessons with a new teacher today.

When we arrived, she asked if we were ok with dogs. I said not great, as we had my other DS (age 3) with me who can be nervous of dogs, in particular. She then briefed us on the fact that Dog would bark a lot as he gets excited to see people but that she would hold him on his lead. I said I'd sit in the room quietly reading a book with DS (3) during the lesson if ok, it's only a 20 min lesson so not worth going elsewhere and it all being new to DS (6) I'd like to sit in anyway to see how he got on (he's had lessons before).

Dog barked and barked. We followed teacher into the small piano room and Dog's basket was besides piano. I asked if Dog would be put in another room during the lesson? The teacher said No, as he gets very upset if put in another room, scratches at the door etc. As Dog was not inclined to go in basked, she would keep him on a lead during the lesson. She then was about to start teaching, her holding the piano music in one hand and dog lead in the other, sitting on a chair next to DS (6) on the piano stool as I sat in the corner with DS(3) on my lap. Dog barked and barked. Teacher said that the presence of me and my son (3) was more than Dog was used to and that we were making him nervous. I repeated that I would like to sit in the lessons, especially the first one but probably usually if OK. I saw a large fenced garden out the window and asked if Dog couldn't go out in the garden during the lesson? The teacher said No, as he can escape from the garden. She then made clear again that Dog wasn't used to there being so many people in the piano room and would keep barking because we were there.

In this pandemonium, I said that, unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to take up the piano lessons in these circumstances - I understood she felt she had to put her dog first, but I had to put my children first!

I don't see how she could have attended properly to the piano lesson with the Dog barking so much and holding the lead in one hand. And I wouldn't have been happy leaving DS (6) with the barking dog and piano teacher I hardly knew.

Outside, I apologized to DS (6) if he was disappointed and he said 'Nevermind because I wouldn't have been able to hear the piano with the dog barking all the time anyway'.

Oh my word! Find a new teacher who is a professional!! This woman sounds ridiculous!

Having said that, don't set yourself up to sit in the room permanantly. It's really distracting for children and utterly ruins any chance of building a relationship with a pupil.

Find a new teacher, stay in for a couple of weeks then leave them to it.

Yanbu. I wouldn't have liked that in my piano lessons aged 6. She sounds really annoying.

that's insane! How on earth can you hope to teach a child piano with a dog barking, even in the next room it would be distracting but in the same room, Bizarre!

That sounds horrific. Train your dog to be in another room ffs. Bung it a Kong stuffed with meat Pâté and it should be happy for 20 minutes fgs.

She is unprofessional and a bit batty.
Def not a keeper.

It's ridiculous to think she could teach properly with one hand occupied by holding the dog, to say nothing of the distractions.

Having said that, I don't think it's reasonable to expect to sit in on the lesson, particularly with another child who may well prove just as much of a distraction as the dog. Can you sit outside in the hall or another roome? Or wait in the car?

I thought it showed a proper lack of boundaries which would be likely to make me want to linger longer in the room if we had carried on with this teacher. Usually I'd only stop in for a few lessons just to see all was OK and then leave them to it if DS happy enough.

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this was a crazy set-up. I know, for all sorts of reasons, this woman may have taken in a neurotic dog - but if she has, she really needs to sort the arrangements before offering any more private piano lessons.

Not at all unreasonable, but I must admit I've never known a parent insist on sitting in on a lesson.

That's a ridiculous situation! Completely unprofessional.

Please rest assured that there are plenty of good teachers out there.

If you PM me your location I might be able to recommend someone as I'm a musician myself and the music world is a scarily small one so I may well know of someone near you.

I always invite the parent(s) to sit in on the first lesson. After all, it is them who will be paying me so they have every right to check out my teaching style!

After the first lesson however, I do tend to encourage the parents to leave us to it.

I've always sat in on lessons, especially at that age. The dog thing is utterly ridiculous

Thanks INeed I have one more teacher in our local area to try, who had replied to an Ad I placed after I'd set up this initial lesson.

I'd definitely sit in on the first lesson with any teacher - I think that would be fairly standard. I understand not sitting in indefinitely as it could put off teacher/pupil, for sure, even if it means I just sit in the car with DS(3) but I'd expect to be allowed to sit in for the first one or two, with a child who has only just turned 6.

I think sitting in for a couple at the start is totally reasonable. If after that you don't trust the teacher to be alone with your child find another teacher.

Ridiculous, I'm a piano teacher and keep the room I teach in (which is our family living room and the only reception room in the house) free from distractions, toys and clutter, despite having 3 children including a very noisy toddler. Much as though she'd like to be with me, she and the other 2 are not allowed in during lessons, and have to be quiet to enable my pupils to concentrate. I have several parents who stay for their children's lessons, occasionally with children in tow, I don't bat an eyelid at that - sometimes it's useful to explain what children need to do and it can help children stay focused if parents supervise their practise.

Definitely not a keeper that piano teacher!

Thanks, fairly unanimous then. I'm glad I was quick to act and didn't prolong the craziness and then have to extract myself and DS later - it just struck me as an unprofessional and mad set-up straight away.

That sounds absolutely bonkers

Staying for a couple of lessons is usual surely.

Apart from checking dc is ok, if you're paying £££ for lessons in something then you'll want to make sure it's worth it.

My dc have recently started dance classes. I didn't even 'ask' as such, just made the teacher aware that i'd be staying for the first couple of lessons. If they'd refused we'd have gone elsewhere.

YANBU at all, she sounds seriously unprofessional regarding the dog. I also think it's fair enough to sit in for the first few lessons, I remember my Mum doing similar until she felt I was confident with the teacher.

I was under the impression that a piano teacher would need their hands during a lesson to er, play the piano not hold a dog with one and the music with another???
Completely unprofessional imo!! It's not as of music lessons are cheap either, not that the cost should matter.