PeacefulChaos Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Here's the story. I play the piano and last year I started teaching Link how to play. We made it about half a year before I quit because it was a battle - he wants to learn to play, but he would sit down for his weekly lesson time with me and play something, and if he didn't play it right and I told him that (and I told him very nicely - 'Well, bud, you did good on ___, but I feel like you need to practice another week to work on ___.' ), he would get mad. Throw a bit of a fit. (He's a perfectionist. Not that it's an excuse, but I think it was that he played it and it wasn't right that made him mad.) I think he has the potential to be good at it. Not like awesome, amazing, whatever, but I think he has a natural bent toward music. He was breezing through everything (much the way I did as a kid) and his mistakes were minor, but they weren't things that should be overlooked, either. My thing is, I don't know that I should go back to teaching him. I know that for me to do it, it's free. I have the musical knowledge and capability to do it. But I kind of feel like he would learn better from someone else. That maybe this is something that I should 'outsource', even though I could do it myself. So I was asking around and I found a teacher that I LOVE the sound of. She's been teaching for several years (though not SO many that she'll retire any time soon lol), has her masters in piano, teaches classical piano, does mini-recitals informally in her home as well as the big recitals with other teachers in the area, does scales and memorization and all this stuff that I did when I was a kid (and remember vividly - it's a great memory)... She charges a decent amount, which ends up being approximately $15/lesson, which I think is reasonable. But DH thinks I'm nuts. I could do this for free, I have done this to make money personally, and I'm going to pay someone else to teach my kid? Yeah... he thinks it sounds insane. He hasn't outright said that he's against the idea, but I think he's basically against the idea. I told him it's everything I want, and he replied that I can do everything we need. :glare: True. So tell me...am I crazy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 nope. I'd do the same. In your shoes, I'd teach two other kids to pay for your son's lessons with another teacher. I completely understand it. My kid would give me drama but would be too embarrassed to fall to pieces in front of a non-family person. So the lessons would be WAY more effective. (btw, your $15 lessons are a good deal. I pay $17 and lots of others on this board pay much more!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 nope. I'd do the same. In your shoes, I'd teach two other kids to pay for your son's lessons with another teacher. I completely understand it. My kid would give me drama but would be too embarrassed to fall to pieces in front of a non-family person. So the lessons would be WAY more effective. (btw, your $15 lessons are a good deal. I pay $17 and lots of others on this board pay much more!) I think it's the area. We're pretty rural and people around here just don't really pay a lot for lessons (that I know of) unless they decide to take from someone at the college or something. :) I agree that it's a good price. It's even perfect timing - if I save $15/wk from now until September (when lessons start), I'll have almost the exact amount needed to get him started. DH is still looking at me like this... :glare: :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I think it's perfectly reasonable. I have two kids who are naturally good at everything, but get upset over small mistakes from everything to grammar to music lessons. I must outsource some things for the sake of relationship, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I don't think you're insane. DD may begin playing double bass. DH teaches double bass lessons. He will get her started, then hand her over to a different teacher. He knows that's best for her personality. Another friend has done the same thing with her DS and piano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I think it's perfectly reasonable. I have two kids who are naturally good at everything, but get upset over small mistakes from everything to grammar to music lessons. I must outsource some things for the sake of relationship, lol. :iagree: And just because someone plays piano even at an advanced level doesn't mean they can or should teach. An experienced teacher that is a good fit for your child is worth their weight in gold. I know a local mom who makes good money playing violin for a prestigious local orchestra and still outsources her kid's violin lessons. And she is a violin teacher as well. There are many good reasons why it wouldn't be the best choice to teach your own child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I taught the basics to my oldest two, but for my youngest ds I sent him to someone else. He does the same thing when he doesn't get it right, but for some reason he responds better to someone else working through it with him. I was willing to put out the extra cost because he has a phenomenal ear for music and was picking up things on his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 You guys are making me feel better! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Sometimes our dc just need an outside teacher. My favorite art teacher sends her kids to someone else for art classes. Dh is a science teacher, and I have a science degree; we outsourced science. :D You're not crazy at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 My kids horse back riding teacher has her daughter go to someone else. :001_smile:It's different with another teacher. How I'd love to have someone else teach my dd to read...:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 :grouphug: I'm no pianist, but I took lessons for a bit and when we bought this house we inherited one. Of course the kids play on it, and they love picking out songs, and when I tried to teach Ds12 correct fingering? TEARS. Then he wanted guitar, and I had played a little of that so I would hear him playing in his room, a few measures and ALWAYS hitting this one note wrong, and I'd yell, "one step up! Up upup!!" because he just couldn't hear it. TEARS. :glare::glare::glare: He goes to lessons, now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 i did just that. i taught all four their first year of piano, and outsourced after that. now they come to me to ask for help, rather than me having to force them to do their practicing. its much better musically and for our relationships. now how to help your dh see that might be true is another thing altogether..... good luck! ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Nope, sounds good to me :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datgh Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 I have several friends who are very good at piano including one who is a music teacher by trade. The all send their children elsewhere for lessons. There is just something about not wanting to learn to play music from Mom and Dad but I have no idea why. I can teach my daughter science and math nor problem but try and help her with piano.....nope, not going to happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Not a crazy idea at all. Dd is also a perfectionist and gets really frustrated when practicing. I won't let her quit because she needs to learn how to work through challenging situations, which is a life skill, IMO. That is a good price for piano, we pay just a tad more for Suzuki and I know what we pay is on the low side. She also behaves better for others than for me in teaching situations, so I imagine that is totally normal. If I were in your shoes, I'd jump at the chance, sounds like it would be a great fit for your son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Well, I've decided to go ahead and start saving up for the lessons but at the same time I'm going to go ahead and give it a try again with Link for the next few months. I'm going to do it when DH is home so he can witness. :D :lol: Of course, it's possible that DH's presence may inspire Link to behave better, in which case we may stick with it for the year and wait to start with this lady next year or something (then I can go ahead and plan for it in my yearly budget - everything is already appropriated and/or spent for this year ;) ). I'm not sure which decision I'll like more - I just know that the way it WAS, it wouldn't work. But if we either come to a good arrangement together or DH ends up coming around on the piano teacher, I'm ok with either. While I absolutely LOVE the idea of going to her, it may be more practical to go ahead and wait a year. Sigh. We shall see. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Not music. I outsourced swimming. I'm a WSI and have been paid to teach swimming for years. I didn't teach my kids to swim. I tried and we all got frustrated (yet other kids actually like me and parents seek me out :confused:). Besides developing an essential life skill I wanted them to enjoy it. It was clear the level of frustration was going to prevent any enjoyment. FWIW around here a 30 min music lesson would be $30 so I think you got a deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirch Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Not crazy at all. What you're describing is the main reason I haven't started teaching ds1. I just reeaaally think we'd all be better off if he learned from someone else (just like we're better off now that he gets his hair cut at Pro Cuts rather than me doing it at home!). And $15 a lesson is a great price for a good, experienced teacher! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malleyfam Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 I'm in exactly the same situation and just stopped teaching after having a baby a few weeks ago. I'm getting the kids started on piano, but I will have to break it to my husband at some point that, after they get past a certain point, we will have to send them to another piano teacher. I just don't think we're going to do well beyond the basics of pedagogy and theory. And I think they'll respond better to someone else, frankly :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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