I'm soooo sick of GOSSIP!! And no matter how hard I try to stop it I can't control it. And stupid parents are the ones feeding the kids. I want to scream at all of them GROW THE BLANK UP!!! And another thing...don't come complaining to me that so and so said this and hurt your feeling if you're not willing tell me who the so and so is. I can't fix it if you won't tell me who said it and I know you won't tell me because then they will tell me crap you said. I am trying to run a business (which is mine to run and not yours BTW) and don't have time to meet with you every time your feelings are hurt or your don't like my policies. Good grief you're 45 years old. Deal with it!!!

I don't have kids but know I could do better job than some of these parents I see. Note to parents: YOUR JOB ISN'T TO BE YOUR CHILDS BEST FRIEND, IT'S TO TRAIN YOUR CHILD. And here's a new idea, they learn from example.

*sigh*.....And now I'm done!

Oh my god love this!!
1. why do parents insist on nagging me about their kids moving up ( its normally the weakest of dancers who's parents do this ) I mean what would I know, only been teaching 20 years!
2. kids chewing gum wearing jeans, ooh MOBILE PHONES in class grrrr
3. parents complaining about cost of costumes for shows but when kids dont do shows threatening to take them else where!
could go on and on!

bagpuss912 wrote:

Oh my god love this!!
3. parents complaining about cost of costumes for shows but when kids dont do shows threatening to take them else where!
could go on and on!

Seriously! But these same parents have no problem dropping $50-80 on a halloween costume that will be worn once. Yet a recital costume is sooo expensive. Weird?

You child took "ballet" from 3-9 years old and took a two year break.I worked with your child this summer during a summer camp, her posture is not correct, she can't maintain turn out, can not complete a single pirouette. She is at the same level as some of my 7/8 year-olds (though a few of them are much further beyond). You would now like to enroll her in my intermediate contemporary class. She's not ready for my intermediate ballet class which is required for enrollment in that contemporary class. Your daughter is lovely to work with and a delightful young lady, but it doesn't change the fact that the kids in that class have worked their butts off for at least 3 years taking ballet up to 3 hours a week during the year and up to five days a week during the summer (not including most of their classes in jazz, tap and musical theatre). I can't just give her a one time "refresher" like you asked me to do. I can't refresh her memory with information that she never learned because she quit at 9 from her 1 hour a week class.

I would love to work with your daughter, but she has to be willing to put in the work like the others did and are still doing.

1. How is it a good idea for a parent to play tag with her children in the waiting room. What is this Mum even thinking!

2. What do you actually think we are going to be doing in class when you send your child to acro with their hair out?

3. Why don't parents teach kids commitment anymore, when I was young if you wanted to quit something your parents would say "wait until the term is over" or "you have made a commitment for this year you can choose to do something else next year". Not "oh well, my kid doesn't want to do it anymore so we are stopping" then two month later the kid changes their mind and they are back, just show up and expect there to still be a place in the class.

4. How is it that a kid can turn up to less than half of the rehearsals and classes and still expect to be in the show or the competition?

RileyA wrote:

3. Why don't parents teach kids commitment anymore, when I was young if you wanted to quit something your parents would say "wait until the term is over" or "you have made a commitment for this year you can choose to do something else next year". Not "oh well, my kid doesn't want to do it anymore so we are stopping" then two month later the kid changes their mind and they are back, just show up and expect there to still be a place in the class.

Amen! I say this ALL THE TIME. My mother never let me quit anything halfway. She'd always say, "Ok. If you don't want to take ballet anymore, you need to finish out the year, and then you can try something different." And you know what happened? I finished out the year and decided I loved ballet and have been doing (and teaching) it ever since!

The other problem is that parents stretch their kids out way too thinly. They have cheerleading on Monday, gymnastics on Tuesday, voice on Wednesday, etc. And then they wonder why their kid sucks at everything. You can't perfect an art if you never have time for any one of them.

GREAT THREAD!!!! I would love to print this and hang it everywhere in my studio. I have a couple of things too:
1. This studio is a business, I do not pocket all of the money you pay.
*I do contemplate pricing because I am not made of money either, I have to pay my own bills as well as business bills with that money.
2. Just because your child is a senior member of the team doesn''t mean you get to make decisions.
* Yes some things change from year to year, but I am not going to do something because you and you alone want it that way, there are other members I have to consider. So stop shouting things out at parent meetings, nobody wants to hear your comments anymore.

Yes, Christmas auditions were last week ( as was stated in the four emails you received); I'm very sorry you just haven't had time to register. No, she still won't get a part in the show and no, I will not explain to her why not. I'M NOT the one that dropped the ball!

Any one else seem to have the parents who think we make it our life's goal to personally attack their child? I seriously have a boat load of parents who think by not putting their dancer in an audition piece, giving her a correction or telling her for the 4th week on a row that hair must be in a bun that I am only doing so to degrade and attack her dancers little feelings. COME ON!!

I love my studio and teaching and I have it on my mind all the time, but I also have a life. Calling /texting me at 11:30pm on a Sunday night is unacceptable. I don't call you at those hours! And don't act offended if you call me on my PERSONAL cell phone and I wait till I get to the studio to call you on the STUDIO phone.

So you want your dancer to take every class, in every dance, go to every competition but.... You don't want to pay for it?? Gotcha


Yes I really did mean it when I said this rehearsal was mandatory, and yes I did mean it when I said anyone not in attendance would be spaced out. You didn't believe me? Well... You'll know better next time.

This is my studio, my class, my policies, if you don't like it you are free to leave. But you do not get to tell me how a dance studio should be run, you're a realtor.

I understand that I don't have any kids of own, however I am not trying to be their parent. Never ever did I say bring your kids to my studio, I want to raise them all!! That's your job, my job is to educate and instruct them in dance. I'll do my job, you do yours.
hhhh this could go on and on.

Kids need to learn they can't to everything. Don't you love it when they reach the age of 16 and decide they want to do dance, and cheerleading and gymnastics, and have a boyfriends, and be involved in the school dance team and then attend 50% of the classes and expect that to be ok.

Or when a parent comes to pay for the term and says "well, we'll be missing more than half the classes for this term, so do we just deduct them off the bill or will you give us a credit?"

Or the parent of the kid who is away 2 weeks a month asks when her child is moving up.

Or when the kids come in after school and sit down to an afternoon tea of chocolate, chips and a can of coke. Then wonder why their kid ended up sitting out of class for poor behavior.

hehe I have to laugh when a parent comes in and says "we are going to have this term off because she just needs and break, we all need a break". I ask "oh so you are you going to try another activity", "no, no they just need a break". All the kid does is take one 45 minute class a week and they need a break!

perfect. well said. agreed!