Mark42
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
When the school system starts prompting the kids to learn to play a musical instrument. Ugggg....
My oldest boy, now 19, learned to play the clarinet well enough to sound just north of horrible. Unfortunately for me and my wife, we were dumb enough to do the "rent to purchase" agreement on the clarinet. Spent around $500 total, but it did include free repairs when the kids broke them. And it was broken once. Now it is in good shape. In a closet. Somewhere.
This year, school gave the kids a choice of instruments to learn. My 10 year old daughter wants to play the flute. So the 'rent to own' agreement comes to almost $700. No way. Wife checked with her friends to find a student flute hiding away in a closet, but no one had one to sell. She eventually found a Suzuki Student model brand new retail for $180 so we bought it.
I know from past experience with my kids, that after a few years of piano lessons, even with my ability to play and read music to help them, they eventually lose interest. At least the piano they can still sit and play when they want to. How often does the opportunity to play the flute or clarinet come up in your life? How often do you visit someone and say, "hey look at that old flute, I used to play one" and sit down and play? Never. But that will happen time and time again with a piano. My oldest boy still plays when he comes home, but refuses to take any lessons.
Oh well, I guess the school has to have a full rounded program, including music education. But it sure is expensive for the parents if they just take the offer from the school and not shop around.
End of rant.
BTW, when I was in 4th grade (1968) the instruments were the property of the SCHOOL. The parents were responsible for the condition of the instruments when they were returned. The school offered insurance that was rather cheap. This is the way it was all the way through high school. Apparently that all changed with my youngest sister, who owned her $3000 Saxophone until her boy friend hocked it. My Dad was MAD!!!!!
My oldest boy, now 19, learned to play the clarinet well enough to sound just north of horrible. Unfortunately for me and my wife, we were dumb enough to do the "rent to purchase" agreement on the clarinet. Spent around $500 total, but it did include free repairs when the kids broke them. And it was broken once. Now it is in good shape. In a closet. Somewhere.
This year, school gave the kids a choice of instruments to learn. My 10 year old daughter wants to play the flute. So the 'rent to own' agreement comes to almost $700. No way. Wife checked with her friends to find a student flute hiding away in a closet, but no one had one to sell. She eventually found a Suzuki Student model brand new retail for $180 so we bought it.
I know from past experience with my kids, that after a few years of piano lessons, even with my ability to play and read music to help them, they eventually lose interest. At least the piano they can still sit and play when they want to. How often does the opportunity to play the flute or clarinet come up in your life? How often do you visit someone and say, "hey look at that old flute, I used to play one" and sit down and play? Never. But that will happen time and time again with a piano. My oldest boy still plays when he comes home, but refuses to take any lessons.
Oh well, I guess the school has to have a full rounded program, including music education. But it sure is expensive for the parents if they just take the offer from the school and not shop around.
End of rant.
BTW, when I was in 4th grade (1968) the instruments were the property of the SCHOOL. The parents were responsible for the condition of the instruments when they were returned. The school offered insurance that was rather cheap. This is the way it was all the way through high school. Apparently that all changed with my youngest sister, who owned her $3000 Saxophone until her boy friend hocked it. My Dad was MAD!!!!!
