These are funny and true! Years ago, I saw a post from a website that I follow entitled, The Top Ten Things One Should Never Say to a Piano Teacher. I laughed as I read and related to them. They hit home with me and I copied them so not to forget. Over time, I’ve added 10 of my own. All but two I’ve heard in my own studio. In fact, several of these I still continually hear from current students, like #1, #12, #14 and #18!

Funny and Not So Funny Things Piano Teachers Hear

1. We forgot his piano books. (Can’t teach without them!)
2. She doesn’t practice because she’d rather be doing other things.
3. He’s going to do his practicing on his Grandma’s piano because we don’t have one.
4. Phew! We barely made it. He’s been home from school all day with a nasty stomach bug! (Yikes!)
5.  So, what do you do for work, do you have a real job?
6. His Aunt is getting married tomorrow. I told her he could learn that wedding march song in today’s lesson.
7. He’s probably not going to like piano… but can he try it anyway?
8. We have a birthday party next week. Just let me know when you can do a make-up lesson.
9. We sometimes run late….You could just add a few minutes on to the end of the lesson, right?
10. I don’t understand why my child isn’t progressing; he sits at the piano for 30 minutes a day playing all his favorite songs.
11. Is it really time to pay you AGAIN?
12. Did he leave his piano books here last week? 
13. What? You get paid to do this?
14. She didn’t practice because we had too much to do.
15. Sorry, Mom couldn’t get me here on time. I know I’m 20 minutes late, but Mom says it’s okay if I stay 20 minutes longer. (During the next student’s lesson-time)
16. Do you give a discount for families that have more than one child in lessons?
17. What? We have to PAY for the books?
18. I had a busy week, so I sat down on Saturday afternoon and practiced solidly for three hours to make up for all the days I had missed. (Practicing every day is the only way to retain what you’re learning and gain technical skills.)
19. Do I have to practice? (Only if you want to improve.)
20. Or my personal favorite……What? We have to have a piano to take piano lessons?