Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitarchick
Thanks, guys. I do get paid the first of each month. Most parents abide by that rule. Once in a while the child will come to lesson with no money. I don't say anything. I just wait until the next week and see if they bring it! I don't make money during the holidays, either. And if it snows that REALLY gets the schedule messed up! I do offer make-up lessons. And when school is out during the summer, I take off too. It would be a nightmare! They just don't want to think about anything when they're out of school! I wish I had started out charging for the whole month, regardless. It's hard to tell the parents now that they will be charged for the whole month whether the child comes or not. My problem is I'm too dang nice!  But I have GOT to do something! |
I think that changing the definition for "you are paying for 4 lessons" to "you are paying for a lesson slot from 2:30 to 3:00 every tuesday" is a good idea. Point out that means that every now and then they will get an extra lesson when their day happens to occur 5 times a month. Also adopt a policy that if they have to miss a lesson, that they can make it up in any slot that you have open during the next week, but if your or their schedule do not cooperate then the lesson is lost. (Of course, with long term good students you can be more flexible, but by establishing the terms it allows you to be the one to determine if the situation warrants flexibility.)
I've a number of friends who teach music. There is often a subconscious attitude that what they do is not really "work" since music is "playing."