I recently posted a discussion on a parent being rude about a costume choice and stirring up trouble with our Saturday classes.

Well....heres another. My business partner and I are going in our 5th year of owning our studio. We both previous taught for 8 + years at different studios. Anyhow we made the excutive decision this past summer that we would hire a Saturday instructor as we have one, taught Saturday classes for 12 years, two have families that we would like to spend time with, and three have too much on our plate with owning the business plus teaching classes that we need the weekends for our sanity. We made it a smooth transition for everyone this year by informing everyone about our new instructor and assisting the first month and a half with the new instructor.
Anyhow, I had random email from a parent who has danced with us from the beginning and she sent an email response from an mass email of our monthly news stating..." Nor you or your business are ever here on Saturdays anymore" We need to clone you!!!!"
So..we are there on Saturdays but to teach solos/duets when we want to. But I didnt know how to react to her email...one was she being rude or two just saying that she missed us?
I replied with stating that "yes, that we no longer teach saturdays, as stated in the beginning of the year" and we wish we could clone ourselves too"

I just don't get parents?? Its so frustrating.....Just had to vent.

I would take it in a light hearted vein, people forget that there's no inflexion in an email and what would seem as a joke to them might not be read as one by the receiver.

I wouldn't take it as a dig, I would take it as a 'we miss you not being there' comment.

It's easy to misinterpret a written word. I think if you keep it lighthearted then she has no choice but to either continue it lightheartedly or look like an as*. The only other thing I can think of that could say to reassure her is "My partner or I will be in occasional Saturdays so you'll be able to catch me up on the progress I hear your daughter is making with our fabulous new instructor!"

I agree with others that it sounded more like a 'miss you'. I make it a point for either myself or my partner to be in the office for every class at least 3 times each year. Parents and students like to know who's behind all the decisions, e-mails, etc. I also get to check student progress in person. Those parents who feel they had a relationship with you the previous year will feel out of sorts and disconnected from you this year. It's normal.

I think she meant to make a lighthearted joke saying that it's not the same without you and that they miss you. It's sort of a backhanded compliment, but I don't think she was meaning to be rude at all