so...maybe i don't understand because i'm not a parent. perhaps my married-with-kids friends can enlighten me a bit.

every now and then, i get a new piano student (which means, a new set of parents to deal with) and usually starts out okay. usually the kid is 5 years old (which is a recommended age for starting piano lessons) and usually, very quick (girls especially are a lot "with it" than boys at that age).

this is the story of a kid, Child A and Mother A.

i got them as a referral in late september. he was - as usual - pretty precocious and more interestingly, he was lightening fast in terms of learning the notes, name of the notes, applying it to playing, etc. which - as you all know - is all quite complex for their little brains.

anyway, it went STUNNINGLY well. by the first 4 lessons, he has grasped the entire note system, and would recognize the notes by SIGHT, play, understand rhythm and everything. i'm not saying he's a genius, but very apt and very involved and happy to have the piano lessons.

enter around 8th lesson - things were slightly going down the hill: he wouldn't respond to my questions, cajoling, nothing. then the Mother A would say "well, you're not doing it right," "are you sure you know what you're doing?"

to say the least, i was QUITE offended.

then, holidays happened and then yesterday was the 12th lesson. he was really not paying attention, really distracted, really not wanting to do it. i recognized that and about to say - at the end of the lesson - let's not continue. i personally don't have the energy to keep a child entertained when his own parents don't do it. Mother A comes to me and says "well, he doesn't know ANYTHING: no notes, cannot tell me what notes he's playing, nothing. how did this happen?" i said "Mother A, you know i've told you how shocked i was, how fast he learned and understood. i believe and KNOW that he knows these things. he just doesn't want to cooperate."

then she pulls this one: "Child A, would you like to continue piano or quit?" Child A says "i don't wanna do it"

Mother A says "okay, it's not working out. i don't know WHAT you did. bye"

i said "excuse me, but we've spent 20 minutes out of the 30 minute lesson. i would like to get paid for at least half of the time"

Mother A just stands there "really? you want to get paid?" i said "i'll wait for you" she takes 10 minutes to write a cheque for $20.

this is what i don't understand and need "enlightenment." the kid is obviously either bored or lost interest or doesn't want to think. isn't it up to the parent to encourage the kid to continue? to go over that small hurdle? if all parents just "gave up" for the "sake of their children's wants," wouldn't the world be filled with no achievers?

but it's not just Mother A & Child A i've seen do this. it's actually quite common this happens (not this particular scenario). Parents just GIVE UP FOR their kids. "Johnny is tired, it's really of no use," "Jane is obviously not interested," etc.

i just don't get it. but the thing about not wanting to pay me, that really got to me. i don't know how i kept my "cool" with little Child A. I said "bye Child A! have fun in School!"

and on an another i-don't-get-why-people-do-this category, check this out. it was actually in today's times. crazy.