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Extra-curricular activities

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Friend‘s children taking music lesson time

59 replies

Whatamess582 · 17/06/2021 16:57

Could someone let me know if I’m overthinking this or if I am justified in being a little annoyed.

I have wanted my DSs (7 and 5) to start music lessons for a while now and finally found a teacher in the next village who teaches drums guitar and piano and offered his last two 2x45 minute sessions to my children to have a bit of a music-introduction course before they settle into learning one instrument formally. I love the teacher’s approach and my kids were loving it.
I mentioned the teacher to a friend of mine who has 2 kids of the same age and she said she might speak to him to start her two in September.
A few weeks later she is sitting outside the cafe round the corner from his house when we turn up for our lesson and says ‘oh DS and DD are there having a joint lesson. I rang him and this was his last slot because someone else dropped out.’ Obviously no problem and I’m delighted for them.
Then music teacher says after my youngest’s lesson… ‘it would be great if friend’s DS could have the session to himself and DD went in with your DS2 and then your DS2 could have his session alone’. I didn’t mind so much as I thought it might help my youngest concentrate a bit as he gets distracted and can be a handful so I agreed. We put it to friend and she said ok.
Next week it’s all fine.
Following week my son is struggling with tiredness and the fact his father is leaving for work abroad for 2 months the next day and is a handful and distracts little girl and teacher mentioned it at end. Didn’t think much of it but spend week rooming him to be better behaved for next lesson.
Next week I turn up and friend is sitting at cafe again and says ‘oh DD is in with him. We’ve decided my DS should have 30 mins, then DD, then your DS2 and then your DS1 should have his 45 min session’. I was flustered and on my period and a bit spaced out so I just said ‘oh ok’ but then afterwards I’m going into the lesson to drop off my youngest and am about to mention it and teacher says ‘yes a much better situation for friends DD…. She was getting distracted by your son’. I was a bit gobsmacked that no one had asked me about the session or asked my opinion. I left DS2 there, switched in DS1 after his session and then went off to think about it. Today I get text from friend saying ‘I prefer DD to have 30 mins alone as she didn’t like it with your son, so we’ll leave it as it was this week from now on, ok?’
I’m a bit miffed to be honest. I found the guy, committed to 45 mins each. Primed my children to go. Then primed my DS to share his session and now have to prime him to go alone… And some how I’ve ended up losing 15 mins of one lesson to a friends child who I introduced to the teacher… he charges me less obviously for less time. It’s not the money really. Should I say something or just leave it. On the one hand my son gets a lesson to himself which I think I prefer. and perhaps 30mins is better for a child of 5? On the other I feel someone should have asked me. I feel a bit bulldozed. Confused

OP posts:
Cattitudes · 18/06/2021 06:16

And yes would make a good plot line in motherland!

Norabuzz · 18/06/2021 06:42

Yes agree with others. 30 minutes is probably max for a 5 year old so this has worked out for the best. But your 'friend' is super pushy and the music teacher should not be making changes without checking with you first! I would message the teacher and ask that no more changes are made to the lessons without your prior approval. And I wouldn't be telling your 'friend' about other new finds you make!!

Whatamess582 · 18/06/2021 09:41

Thanks everyone for helping me work through that. I’m going to be a bit more private about things from now on.
I’ll leave the arrangement as is for now and then see what happens in September. There is a conservatoire in the town that my children go to school in so I might see what they have on offer there.

OP posts:
CaribouCarafe · 18/06/2021 10:50

Tbh speaking as someone who teaches music, 45 mins was a bit ridiculous as a starting point for a 5 year old to begin with. Teacher should have known this.

The teacher was out of order to not consult you about all the lesson changes and to mess your son around.

If you're otherwise happy with the teacher then it seems like an ok arrangement to have 30 mins for your youngest. I'd be inclined to reduce your other child's lessons to the same amount so there isn't any sense of unfairness (plus as I said earlier I always started with 30 mins of high quality lessons and only increased lesson length when necessary - around grade 5).

Your friend hasn't exactly been blameless in this situation but ultimately the teacher should have been more professional about it and treated you as completely separate clients.

ilovesushi · 20/06/2021 12:59

I would get it in writing (email) what the agreement is. How long, what time, private or shared lesson, how much. Your friend should have nothing to do with arrangements for your DC.

Moominmammacat · 20/06/2021 14:33

Mine used to get 15' at this age

SouthLondonMommy · 20/06/2021 16:27

If she is really your friend, be honest with her and say you'd have expected her to discuss it with you first and get your okay before changing your children's lessons. Hopefully she'll apologise and you can move on. Also, tell the teacher you hadn't actually been consulted and I'm sure he'll be mortified.

However, 30 min for a 5 year old is actually the better outcome so I wouldn't cut off your nose to spite your face. Stick with what been agreed. It will work better for your son and cost you less money!

squintsoftheworldunite · 25/06/2021 07:42

I think the outcome sounds perfect, the route to get there sounds rubbish. Of your friend mainly, but also of the teacher. It's possible that because of the shared lessons, your friend convinced him you were on board with whatever plan she sold him. But he has not handled it well.

Side note, I love the idea of him including guitar and percussion exploring in the lessons for the little one. It's a good way of holding his attention for longer and giving him different musical experiences.

lanthanum · 26/06/2021 16:48

45 minutes is long at that age. It's presumably what he uses as his standard slot, and he probably didn't think to suggest a shorter lesson, or perhaps worried that if he did, he'd be left with a 15/30 minute slot he couldn't use. The communication has been poor, but you're probably better off with 30 minute lessons - value for money is probably rather lower for the last 15 minutes.

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