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Erika W., Washington

If I were you, I would see this as a big red flag. I’m not an expert, but I do have young children and I don’t see any way that five extra children running around in your piano studio could be anything other than a distraction. It seems to me that you’re just begging for management problems in this situation—either one of the parents will have more behaved kids, and resent the disruption the other kids provide, or both mothers will go out into the hallway to take care of kids and therefore will not be available during the lesson, or the kids will all stay in the lesson and the students trying to learn the lesson will be utterly distracted. If you just have the kids watch TV in another room, they would be unsupervised, and that could cause some big problems.

Another teacher and I were discussing this very thing after our symposium. We both have had similar situations. Obviously, this is a problem. But it doesn’t have to be your problem. Many in our symposium agreed that the key to many things is to not be afraid of losing students. Since you haven’t started them yet, you could nip it in the bud beforehand, if you’re not afraid of losing them. It seems to me that if parents want their children to take lessons, then they need to find a way to solve the problem. They should come up with viable solutions—perhaps they have a friend who could watch their kids during that time, or maybe they do need to have their lesson in the evening. If you present it to them as that the students just would not experience as much success with all those young children there, perhaps the parents will come up with some good ideas.

Sheri R., California

I routinely have 3 or 4 parents sharing a fairly small space with their students and 3 or 4 siblings. I have lots of toys and books leftover from my children’s younger days (been saving them for the grandkids that aren’t even close yet!) and so far the kids have all been very quiet at playing in the same room as the lesson. Somehow we all stay very focused on the lesson and aren’t really aware of what is going on behind us. The parents really appreciate this set-up so they don’t have to get
babysitters although there are some I think who leave siblings at home due to their rambunctious natures. I have some unusual toys that parents often ask me “where did you get this?” so it’s good to have things that the kids might not have at home to hold their attention throughout the lesson. I suppose you could put paper and crayons out too. Hope you find this helpful. I don’t give stickers or anything like that but if you do you might include the siblings in that for their cooperative behaviour in letting the lesson run so smoothly. By the way, if you don’t have children’s books, many library’s have regular sales and you can find some cheap books for this purpose. Hope that helps.

Wendy S., Western Australia

The reason I ask the parent to be present is so that they equip themselves well enough at the lesson to “coach” their child at home. This cannot happen if they are looking after other children. I stress that it’s “their” time with the learning child and it should be special. I’ve had it proven to me time and time again that the students who do well are those whose parents play an active role both in the lesson and at home. (In fact I encourage that they try and learn themselves).

After this conversation they find someone to mind their children, if they want lessons for the “learning” child enough.  Does it mean I’ve lost prospective students? Probably, but my studio is full and siblings are not an issue. (Goodness knows we have enough to do without feeling the need to provide a child-minding area).

Do I have siblings in the room? Yes, an older child who’s happy to sit and read. Hope this helps.

Claire L., Western Australia

I think it really depends on the other children: I have one 4 yr old sibling come along when her sister has a lesson, and even with a spare parent present, she manages to dismantle/unpack/fiddle with a vast array of things around my house! I am not particularly fussed, having 3 young children myself, but have learned (after she scribbled in my diary and played with batteries), that I need to set up clear boundaries: ie: put out the toys she can play with (so she doesn’t go hunting herself), where she can play etc.

Some kids are really able to respect boundaries and rules, and others not so well. Be clear with the parents that they can only bring their other children if the children are able to be responsible unsupervised, and if they (the parents) are able to be 100% present in the lesson without the other kids disturbing lesson.

Remember it’s your space!!