Our Love/Hate Relationship with the Piano Teacher

Between our three (kind of four) piano playing children, we've gone through a few different piano teachers over the years. I have the occasional moment when I feel as though I can't completely forgive our all-time favorite piano teacher for a. moving away and b. deciding she needed to be a mother to her two children rather than teach piano lessons to my children.

For the most part I'm content with our new piano teacher. Except the times that she comes barging into mine and Mike's bedroom carrying her three-ring binder. Every time we know we're in trouble.

"You need to make sure their practicing calendars are filled out every day, not just once a week when they can't remember how many minutes they practiced."


"You need to tell Luke to practice THE WAY I  HAVE TOLD HIM TO."


"I am done. I am not going to be Ellie's teacher. She won't listen to me."


"Luke and Ellie need to treat me like I am a REAL piano teacher. So do you guys."


"Your piano bill is like way past-due."


Other than those few phrases we hear at least once a month. Megan is a pretty swell piano teacher. At least her four non-related piano students think she is. Luke and Ellie are still deciding.

Last Thursday, Megan hosted her first piano recital for her students. Each student performed a musical number, including Joshua who floats in and out of piano studies depending on the day. It was a proud parent moment seeing Megan watch her students with pride in her own eyes as they played their well practiced pieces. Megan's own efforts as well as her students' were rewarding to watch.

I even refrained from a "told you so" moment when Ellie performed her piece from MEMORY. Contrary to the nagging I received from the piano teacher for 36 hours prior to the recital, "She will be the ONLY one without her piece memorized. You need to tell her to memorize it."


I may not be a piano teacher, and I may have never memorized a piano piece in my life, but I am a mother and I often know best. I politely told the piano teacher to refrain from crossing over into my parenting skills attempts, and to just let the natural consequences be.

Ellie performed her piece flawlessly.

Who can't love Megan?!
Piano teacher or not.