I’m an Infant/Toddler Music Teacher Whore

Well, not really.  But I have been around the block a few times.   Alex, Lincoln and I---and previously Alex and I---have done, um, a number of different music classes in our area.  I guess I’m pickier than your average parent about young childhood music classes.   It’s not that I want my kids to be musical prodigies---because I don’t, and the reasons why could be another whole blog---but I do want them to be exposed to good music fundamentals, interesting music, and a solid curriculum, delivered by a stable, reliable, competent teacher.  Is that too much to ask?    

Apparently, it is.

We did experience a blissful nine to twelve month period where we had a great music teacher.  But then there was the hired-her-as-a-sitter-and-my-visiting-brother’s-dog-bit-her-and-she-overreacted-and-sent-him-a-ridiculous-doctor-bill-that-I’m-not-sure-ever-got-paid incident.  That aside, we really enjoyed her class.  She was an actual trained musician, with good pitch, good rhythm and good time.  She worked with a curriculum that was interesting and diverse.  And she was great with kids.  Then, the “incident” happened.  And then she moved to Texas.

We moved on to another music teacher in the area that we really liked---good pitch, good time, fun songs, but she only had one curriculum.  If you took multiple sessions, you were singing the same songs as the previous session.  This is probably fine if you are a kid, but as an adult, I couldn’t deal.

We went back to the old program with a different teacher.  She was good---when she showed up.  When she didn't, she sent a substitute, or someone masquerading as one.    Her “substitute” was a bad singer, who was so tone deaf she was somehow able to modulate on songs as simple as “The Wheels on the Bus.”  What the hell?

We switched to a new program.  It was tolerable.  Then one day Alex wore a Jimi Hendrix tee-shirt to class.  The “music” teacher asked, “I should probably know who is on that shirt.”  After we told him, he wondered aloud if he was too young to know who that was.  Dude, Jimi Hendrix died 8 years before I was born.  My husband the ENGINEER knows about JImi Hendrix.  You’re fired.

We stayed with that program, but switched teachers.  He was good.  He was hot.  Unfortunately, Alex didn't like the class.  It was our first class with Lincoln in tow, which probably played a big factor.  And the songs were too standard.  Not enough global perspective here.   So much for the eye candy.

Okay.  First program, new teacher.  Good singer.  Stays on pitch.  Bad at rhythm.  Doesn’t know she’s bad at rhythm.  I don’t think I can do this.  We take some time off. 

At Lincoln’s Mommy & Me class, a DIFFERENT music teacher does a demo.  He LOVES it.  She appears to be a decent musician.  But her classes are separated by age---we have to do a different class for each of the boys, AND neither one can be at the other one’s class.  The logistics do not work for us. 

First program, different teacher.  Stays on pitch.  Rhythm is okay.  She’s not the most charismatic or creative teacher, but the curriculum is good enough to cover this.  Lincoln likes her (although to be fair, Lincoln likes everybody.  He would probably smile at Joseph Kony).  Alex likes her (and he won’t smile at Santa Claus).  On the third class he presents her with his new shoes.  We may have a winner.