A Kid's Parents Ditched the Music Teacher Over Constant Neglect

A Music Teacher's Struggle with a Flaky Family

As a self-employed individual, time is one of the most valuable assets you have. For those in the service industry, like music teachers, this becomes even more critical. One teacher recently found herself in a tough spot after deciding to drop a student due to repeated issues with the family’s lack of commitment and poor communication.

For over a decade, this teacher has been providing private music lessons, and she only fired a student once before—when a child physically threw things during a lesson. This recent decision to stop teaching a 7-year-old student marked her second time taking such a step, and it left her feeling conflicted about whether she should have been more patient for the sake of the child.

The family had a history of being unreliable, despite the teacher’s clear 24-hour notice policy that was communicated from the start. The lessons were typically held at the teacher’s home, but the family’s disorganization made it difficult to maintain consistency.

Over the past year, several incidents occurred:

1. The mother panicked and forgot about a lesson, leaving the teacher driving back home after starting the lesson at the family's house. The teacher forgave the mistake without charging the family.
2. The mother wrote down the wrong time and missed the lesson. She apologized, and the teacher allowed a reschedule.
3. The child became sick, but the mother didn’t inform the teacher beforehand, leading to the teacher waiting unnecessarily. In this case, the teacher charged the family.
4. During a lesson, the child got a scab on their elbow. The teacher reacted instinctively, which led to an email from the mother claiming the child felt embarrassed and thought the teacher considered them gross. The teacher clarified that no such comment was made, but the situation raised concerns about the mother’s sensitivity.
5. The family asked for a last-minute reschedule, and the teacher agreed. However, they failed to show up again. The teacher charged them and warned that repeated no-shows would not be tolerated.
6. The father repeatedly arrived late, thinking the lessons were an hour long instead of half an hour. The teacher addressed this issue, but it highlighted the family’s overall disorganization.

The final incident was what pushed the teacher to make the decision to end the relationship. The mother requested a last-minute reschedule, which the teacher granted. However, just 20 minutes before the new lesson time, the mother claimed they were stuck in traffic and couldn’t attend. The teacher refused to accommodate further, stating that the arrangement wasn’t working and that she felt her time was being disrespected.

The mother responded defensively, insisting that they had only missed one lesson and accused the teacher of being offensive. She also implied that the teacher should be more understanding given the child’s struggles with bullying. The teacher, who had also experienced bullying as a child, felt frustrated by the lack of accountability.

After the conversation, the teacher blocked the mother’s number and stopped responding. She admitted that she felt bad for being overly accommodating in the past and believed in the child’s potential. However, she could not overlook the repeated disrespect of her time and boundaries.

What Others Thought

Reddit users weighed in on the situation, with many supporting the teacher’s decision. Some said she was not at fault (NTA), while others expressed frustration with the family’s behavior. Many commented that it was understandable for the teacher to set boundaries and prioritize her own well-being.

This story highlights the challenges faced by self-employed individuals who must balance compassion with the need to protect their time and energy. It also serves as a reminder that while kindness is important, it should not come at the expense of personal respect and professional integrity.