Hi

I travel to homes on Friday. I am finding that when my students reach middle school and high school that they want to cancel lessons right and left for other activities after school on Fridays. I have had one student cancel 5 weeks in a row. When I said something to the mother, who approved this behavior, she got angry. This mother has only 1 time available for lessons and I have scheduled others around her astronomical schedule. How can I get them back on track. They have taken for 7 years (the oldest) and maybe are burnt out-not sure.

Thanks

Are they canceling lessons that they've already paid for in advance? If so, it's not an ideal situation but 'oh well', I guess they're out the money since you probably don't give makeups (as that's the only time they can have a lesson).

Or do they pay you by the lesson and then cancel, leaving you without $$ ? That's not good and you need to put a stop to it. Have a strict studio policy, have them pay by the month or quarter ahead of time, and NO makeups when cancelled for anything other than illness.

And I would NEVER NEVER ever make special scheduling arrangements for just 1 family; they often end up taking advantage of you or being flaky parents.

Hi

They have been a good family and always there for lessons but since the oldest is starting high school, things are changing and the mother may want her more social. Also, the kids may be complaining, I don't know. They are not under the studio policy, as they started lessons before I had one and I may propose something for the fall. I may tell them to take the whole summer off because they want to do other things anyway and they have made up their mind they are going to cancel when they want. They do not pay in advance and are unwilling to drive to my place. The issue for me more than the money is that they aren't there. You can't teach them if they aren't there. If they want to cancel or switch days, that is OK, but be willing to drive to my place if you can't keep your time. I probably will drop them and/or give them new rules for the fall but I am sure the mother will try to break them. Very controlling mother.

Fall is the perfect time to enact a new studio policy for everyone; it's a new school year and a new start. Create a new stricter policy, make everyone sign it, offer no exceptions to anything in your policy, and you will most like get rid of this pushy controlling mother. But be willing to stand your ground.

Hi

Thank you. Won't be easy but you are absolutely right. It will be sad if they quit and they may but I may be better off.

Thanks again

Hi

She is still thinking about it. Bet they quit. They are taking August off, at my suggestion though. Sounds like the beginning of the end.

Linda