We found our Piano Teacher!

So after an agonizing 3 weeks of searching and talking to about 20 different piano teachers we finally found one for the boys! It has been quite the process. Mainly because we wanted a piano teacher who would come to our home for our lessons. With Nathan playing soccer, and Darin playing football this fall (not to mention all the other sports throughout the year) I really did not want to have another place that I had to drag the girls too.

Plus, we are way over protective and the thought of them just being alone at some other place with strangers wasn't really appealing to us even if it was a music studio. We really are overprotective, and I knew I would just stress week after week about it. Last year both of the boys won a few extra things with their teachers like to play video games after school or watch a movie after school with their teacher and like 5 other kids. We knew their teachers really well and really liked them, but still one of us (Ken, me, my Dad) went and sat out in the hallway the whole time, you know just to be sure they were safe. Not like we are super crazy, like I would bring a batch of cookies or something, as if I had meant to have them take it to school. "Hi boys, I knew you guys would really love these. Oh and I'm here now, so I'll just hang out in the hall and read my book until your done. Have fun!"

Anyway, I immediately did not want one who taught out of their home. I talked to one lady whose daughter answered the phone, but then she interrupted her mom's current piano lesson to talk to me. --So, not only would you let your own kids interrupt you during my child's piano lesson but also anyone who happens to call you on the phone, and you want me to pay how much for that???

Another horror from the bring your kids to my place, was a 30-something year old single male wanting me to drop off my children at his apartment for an hour for their piano lessons. --I couldn't run away from him fast enough, however he followed up with 3 phonecalls and 4 emails (that just made me want to run away faster).

Which other then the freaky part of leaving my kids alone with a possible pedophile, he was better then the 8 or so others who would barely even give me the time of day to tell me what their philosophy is and what a typical lesson would consist of. Here's a quote, "Ya know if you have some beginner books laying around let's just start with those and we'll see what your kids want to do after that. It'll be all good" --I think my boys could eat her alive, or she could have possibly been on drugs.

There were many others who were really qualified but they asked for $350 a month to come to my house.-- (Cough, Cough) How much did you say? (Since their website said something like $25 per 30 minute lesson) I must not have heard you right. "Oh, so that's three hundred and fifty dollars for one month of lessons for two boys. Umm, thanks for your time. Bye! Bye!"

And then there were a couple from a really a big company that places piano teachers, and they want you to sign a million contracts and forms before you even have any idea of who the teacher is or how they teach or how good they are. --But of course your first month's tuition is refundable, just give us a credit card so we can set you up on auto-pay that only takes three months to cancel if you are not completely satisfied. --Oh and what's that "You only have a 1% cancellation rate in the first 3 months because your placement (make that payment) services are so great!"

Anyway, I found one that was exactly what I wanted and he is going to come to our home every Monday afternoon! It's an older man, who has been a professional organist for the past 25 years, and has taught for 10 years, and played for 40 years. He has a BA and a Masters. And more importantly I really like his teaching style. And he is pretty upfront about what he expects from the boys, and how much he wants them to practice, etc. I was seriously surprised at how many teachers choked on that question whenever I asked them. Like I don't know if they are afraid of scaring parents off or what. But I took lessons for 12 years so it would take alot to scare me off. Not to mention why would I pay someone so much every month if they are only going to teach them as well as I could teach them.

And I just want to say a special thank you to my friend who answered a million questions and looked at a few of the piano teachers resumes. Thanks for pushing me to be strong when interviewing them and to get the answers I wanted.