u/Anxious-Fault993

Piano teachers, how do you handle a student who simply refuses to play? I’ve been teaching piano for 10 years, and I’ve never really had a situation like this before. I currently have a young student who is a genuinely sweet, nice kid. The problem is that he basically doesn’t practice because he says playing piano is “boring.” I’ve talked to his parents about it, and I’m constantly trying different ways to motivate him during lessons. The biggest issue is that I spend SO much energy trying to convince him to actually play for me. Sometimes almost half of the lesson is spent negotiating, encouraging, redirecting, etc. rather than actually playing. I’m also in a slightly awkward position because I teach him at their house, and the parents are usually home. So I’m very aware that they can hear what’s happening or, more accurately, that they can hear that there is barely any piano being played for a significant part of the lesson. I don’t want to be overly strict with him. I don’t think threatening, shaming, or forcing a child is the right approach, especially when the goal is for them to eventually enjoy music. But honestly, I leave these lessons feeling completely drained. It takes so much energy just to get him to play for me. I motivate him, make things into games, give him choices, praise him, try to make the music more interesting, etc. But I’m starting to feel like I’m fighting a battle that I can’t win if he simply doesn’t want to participate. For those of you who teach children: What do you do in this situation? At what point do you tell the parents that the child may simply not be ready or interested in piano? And how do you handle it when you’re teaching in the family’s home and feel awkward because the parents are literally listening to the lesson? I would really appreciate advice from teachers who have dealt with something similar.

I’m curious what parents in Manhattan consider a fair price these days. If you were looking for a piano teacher for your child, what price would feel reasonable to you, and at what point would it start feeling too expensive? Also, does having the teacher come to your home make a significant difference in what you’d be willing to pay? Would love to hear what people are actually paying and what you think is a fair price.

I’m a piano teacher with 10+ years of teaching experience, a Master’s degree in Piano Performance, and a background in competitions and preparing students for recitals and auditions. I currently teach children and travel to students’ homes. I recently had a parent looking for weekly 45-minute in-home lessons in Manhattan. Their budget was $60, and when I explained that this rate was lower than what I can offer considering my background and experience, they told me that $60 is “a very good amount for any level of teacher” and that what I said was “ridiculous.” I’m curious what other teachers are charging these days, especially for in-home lessons in Manhattan. Is $60 for 45 minutes still considered a normal rate, or am I right that in-home lessons with an experienced teacher are generally higher?

I’m a piano teacher with 10+ years of teaching experience, a Master’s degree in Piano Performance, and a background in competitions and preparing students for recitals and auditions. I currently teach children and travel to students’ homes. I recently had a parent looking for weekly 45-minute in-home lessons in Manhattan. Their budget was $60, and when I explained that this rate was lower than what I can offer considering my background and experience, they told me that $60 is “a very good amount for any level of teacher” and that what I said was “ridiculous.” I’m curious what other teachers are charging these days, especially for in-home lessons in Manhattan. Is $60 for 45 minutes still considered a normal rate, or am I right that in-home lessons with an experienced teacher are generally higher?

I recently found out about the LensCrafters+ program where you can get 2 pairs of glasses and pay for them over time instead of paying the full amount upfront. I’m considering using it, but I wanted to hear from people who have actually tried it. How was your experience? Were there any hidden fees or things you didn’t like? Was it easy to make payments, and did you feel like it was worth it compared to just buying glasses normally? Would love to hear your honest experiences.

Hi everyone! I’m a piano teacher currently offering private lessons for children in Manhattan. A little about me: I have over 10 years of teaching experience, I’m a piano competition laureate, and I have worked with around 60 students of different ages and levels. I have experience preparing students for recitals, competitions, auditions, and other performances.

I studied piano in Poland and later completed my Master’s degree in Piano Performance in the US. My goal is to help children build a strong foundation in piano, develop musicality, and most importantly enjoy the learning process.

I offer in-home lessons in Manhattan and can come to your home for lessons.

If you’re looking for a piano teacher for your child or know someone who might be interested, feel free to send me a DM. I’d be happy to share more details about my approach, availability, and rates!

Hi everyone! I’m a professional piano teacher with 10+ years of experience, offering private piano lessons for children and adults. I teach from my home in Bayonne, just a short drive from Jersey City. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some experience, I’d be happy to help.

If you’re looking for a piano teacher, feel free to DM me for more information!

Hi everyone! I’m a piano teacher with 10+ years of experience, offering private lessons for kids and adults. I live at The Breton 2 in Bayonne and teach from my home. If you live in the building or nearby, I can also come to your apartment for lessons.

If you’ve been thinking about learning piano or are looking for a teacher for your child, feel free to DM me!

I’m a classical pianist and piano teacher currently living in New Jersey (Bayonne area), and I’m looking to grow my private studio.

I have a Master’s degree in Piano Performance, over 10 years of teaching experience, and I teach children and adults from beginners to advanced students. I’m open to traveling to students’ homes in NYC/NJ or having students come to my home studio. I’m curious, for those of you who teach privately, where do you usually find your students?

Have you had success with platforms like Wyzant, Thumbtack, Lessonface, Nextdoor, Facebook groups, or something else?

I would really appreciate any advice, especially from teachers in the NYC/NJ area.

I’m a classical pianist and piano teacher currently living in New Jersey (Bayonne area), and I’m looking to grow my private studio.

I have a Master’s degree in Piano Performance, over 10 years of teaching experience, and I teach children and adults from beginners to advanced students. I’m open to traveling to students’ homes in NYC/NJ or having students come to my home studio. I’m curious, for those of you who teach privately, where do you usually find your students?

Have you had success with platforms like Wyzant, Thumbtack, Lessonface, Nextdoor, Facebook groups, or something else?

I would really appreciate any advice, especially from teachers in the NYC/NJ area.

My baby had high bilirubin after birth and I’m wondering if anyone had a similar experience. My daughter was born full term on July 14. Her bilirubin was around 17 mg/dL when we were discharged from the hospital. Later, on August 20 (about 5 weeks old), it was still 12.4 mg/dL. She is now 11 months old. Overall she is developing, but I have some concerns about her not always responding to her name and some unusual movements when she is excited or upset. Her EEG was normal, which was reassuring, but I still worry about whether the bilirubin could have affected her. Did anyone else have a baby with bilirubin levels around 17 or prolonged jaundice for several weeks? How is your child doing now? Did your child have any developmental concerns later? I’m just looking for other parents’ experiences, not medical advice.

Today I went to a Russian speaking optical shop in Brooklyn to get glasses through my insurance, and the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I picked out a basic plastic frame that was fully covered by my insurance. As soon as I chose the frame, they started insisting that I needed high-index lenses and anti-reflective coating. They didn't present it as an optional upgrade, they made it sound like it was absolutely necessary because my prescription is -3.00. They kept trying to convince me that regular lenses would be too thick and basically acted like I had no choice. What bothered me even more is that they never mentioned the price while they were pushing these upgrades. Only after I specifically asked how much it would cost did they tell me it would be around $300 extra. I told them I wasn't interested and that I just wanted the standard lenses covered by my insurance. The second I said no, their attitude completely changed. They became cold, short with me, and visibly annoyed. It honestly felt like they were angry that they weren't making extra money from me. They were rude for the rest of the interaction, and when I left, they didn't even say goodbye. I walked out feeling really uncomfortable.

Now I'm wondering if this is normal. Is high-index really necessary for a -3.00 prescription, or was I just being pressured into paying for expensive upgrades? I'm also thinking about calling tomorrow to cancel the order if it's not too late. Has anyone else had an experience like this?

Today I went to a Russian-owned optical shop in Brooklyn to get glasses through my insurance, and the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I picked out a basic plastic frame that was fully covered by my insurance. As soon as I chose the frame, they started insisting that I needed high-index lenses and anti-reflective coating. They didn't present it as an optional upgrade, they made it sound like it was absolutely necessary because my prescription is -3.00. They kept trying to convince me that regular lenses would be too thick and basically acted like I had no choice. What bothered me even more is that they never mentioned the price while they were pushing these upgrades. Only after I specifically asked how much it would cost did they tell me it would be around $300 extra. I told them I wasn't interested and that I just wanted the standard lenses covered by my insurance. The second I said no, their attitude completely changed. They became cold, short with me, and visibly annoyed. It honestly felt like they were angry that they weren't making extra money from me. They were rude for the rest of the interaction, and when I left, they didn't even say goodbye. I walked out feeling really uncomfortable.

Now I'm wondering if this is normal. Is high-index really necessary for a -3.00 prescription, or was I just being pressured into paying for expensive upgrades? I'm also thinking about calling tomorrow to cancel the order if it's not too late. Has anyone else had an experience like this?

We have an 11 month old and are trying to decide whether to do Disney World this summer or wait until December. Part of me wants to go now, but I’m worried about the Florida heat, afternoon naps, and just keeping a baby comfortable in the parks. On the other hand, if we wait until December she’ll be a little older and the weather should be much nicer. For those who have done Disney with a baby around this age, would you go this summer or wait until December? Any regrets either way? We’d probably do midday breaks back at the hotel and keep our park days pretty relaxed.

We have an 11 month old and are trying to decide whether to do Disney World this summer or wait until December. Part of me wants to go now, but I'm worried about the Florida heat, afternoon naps, and just keeping a baby comfortable in the parks. On the other hand, if we wait until December she'll be a little older and the weather should be much nicer. For those who have done Disney with a baby around this age, would you go this summer or wait until December? Any regrets either way? We'd also probably do midday breaks back at the hotel and keep our park days pretty relaxed.

We were at Magic Kingdom 2 years ago but this time we are going with an 11 month old baby. We will stay off property in a hotel nearby not Disney hotel. We plan to do midday breaks back at the hotel because baby needs naps and rest. If we buy a standard ticket for Magic Kingdom can we leave the park and come back the same day without issues or restrictions? Plan is morning in the park then hotel nap then back in the evening. Just want to make sure this works before booking everything.

We were at Magic Kingdom 2 years ago but this time we are going with an 11 month old baby. We will stay off property in a hotel nearby not Disney hotel. We plan to do midday breaks back at the hotel because baby needs naps and rest. If we buy a standard ticket for Magic Kingdom can we leave the park and come back the same day without issues or restrictions? Plan is morning in the park then hotel nap then back in the evening. Just want to make sure this works before booking everything.

My 10-month-old says “mama,” “dada,” “baba,” and shakes her head for “no.” I talk and play with her a lot every day, and I’ve been wondering what speech is usually like at this age.
What words were your babies saying at 10 months? Were they saying actual words yet or mostly babbling?

I’m a pianist currently based in the U.S. I studied in Europe through an exchange program, graduated from a conservatory in Asia, and recently finished my Master’s in Piano Performance in the U.S. Right now I work as a piano teacher, but I’ve been thinking about moving more into accompanying/collaborative piano work or possibly theater/musical theater jobs in NYC. I wanted to ask people already in the field — how realistic is it to break into that scene in New York, and where do people usually find those jobs? Are theaters, opera programs, dance schools, audition studios, etc. usually hiring through connections only, or are there actual places/websites where accompanist jobs get posted regularly?

Would really appreciate any advice from people working in NYC music/theater.

Hi everyone, I’m a bit worried and wanted to ask if anyone has experienced something similar with their baby. My daughter is 9 months old. She is already crawling well and can also pull herself up and stand holding onto furniture. But recently she started doing something new: she gets into a hands-and-knees position and rocks back and forth repeatedly. She does this for about 1–2 minutes at a time, a few times a day. It looks like a repetitive movement, so I’m a bit worried it might be some kind of stimulation or something unusual. But at the same time, she is otherwise developing normally, very active, social, and meeting her milestones. Has anyone seen this in their babies? Did they grow out of it? Is this normal developmental behavior or something I should be concerned about? Thank you in advance for any advice or experiences.