Piano Teaching and Housecleaning

Less than a month after Danielle was born our piano teacher called me up to let me know that she was getting too busy in her nursing program and would no longer be teaching piano lessons. I cried for about a week over it. I may have been slightly affected by my hormones at the time, but I knew there was no one else that I felt could teach them. I called all possible leads, and short of driving an hour one-way every week, there were no openings or options.

I admitted to myself that I could probably teach them at least as well as our teacher had, but I was so overwhelmed with our new little one and keeping up with my other responsibilities that I just didn't know how I could fit one more thing in and still do a decent job.

I prayed for about a month about what to do, and finally the answer came to me. I could spend the money that I used for piano lessons and use that to hire someone to clean my house. After asking around for a good person we found Jan! She came the first time and whipped my house into shape in just four hours. The three things that I love the most that she always cleans are the washer and dryer in the laundry room, the inside of the microwave and the top of the trash can. I know those are small things, but I can guarantee you that they were never cleaned before she entered our home. She comes every other week for the same price that we spend on just three 30-minute piano lessons. I don't know why we never thought of this before. Just when it seems like my life is spinning out of control, Jan shows up and brings order out of chaos.

I started out teaching my 4 kids piano lessons and have learned a lot after researching piano books, lessons, and strategies for teaching. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel more competent than I did 2 years ago. I have to turn down requests almost weekly to teach others, and I have added 4 others to my lineup. It is very rewarding to see all of my students making progress and getting better. I also have been surprised by how much I enjoy teaching even the younger children. This is definitely a new addition to the titles I go by as "The Responsible Woman." Probably the greatest encouragement I got was from my own children who have told me that I am an even better teacher than they had before.

It is just another lesson to me that what can start out as a challenge, often turns into a blessing.