<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><div>We are, unfortunately, now several decades into the "you are born perfect", "God loves you just the way you are" view of existence (a gift, along with Disco, of the 1970's) so many parents now feel no need to correct their spawn's unruly conduct. Unfortunately. And a result of this, when these children "grow up", is the 4 ambulances that park in downtown Athens, Ga., at about 8 PM: awaiting casualties of the night's approaching "festivities". (There was an article in the paper recently, about how there was evidence that bartenders were accepting bribes to put date-rape drugs in girls drinks, too.) Good thing you didn't touch the child, as you might well have been charged with "assault"! ( I almost got beaten up in a Target store by a hulking "redneck" father because a couple of his kids playing football in the aisles nearly knocked me down, and I just said "Hey, cut it out!") Despite what the politicians claim, it is NOT more math and science education that America needs: it is an adequate education in good behavior, proper conduct, and courteous manners! (Makes me grateful for the parents I had!) Thumpe P.S. In a customer's home with unruly children, it is indeed exasperating to see the parent sit idly by. But that is the way it is, sadly, currently. So I just stay calm and tell the parents encouraging things such as that playing the piano will build their child's self-confidence (and, if a girl, make her more resistant to inappropriate "overtures" by boys when she becomes a teen!) and that the quieter it is, the better the tuning will turn out. </div></td></tr></table> <div id="_origMsg_"> <div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif:font-size:10pt"> <div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"> <hr size="1"> From: Delwin D Fandrich <del@fandrichpiano.com>; To: <pianotech@ptg.org>; Subject: Re: [pianotech] undisciplined kids Sent: Sat, Jan 5, 2013 6:19:34 AM <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="font:inherit;"><div class="WordSection1">Many years back a customer brought her rather badly behaving six year old to my shop where we discussed the repairs being made to the action of her piano. He son immediately started terrorizing everything he could reach. No matter how I may feel internally, externally I’m usually fairly mild-mannered about these things—at least I used to be—but in this case I did ask her several times to please keep her child from damaging pianos owned by others. It did little good; she seemed oblivious to the destructive antics of her child. Until….  I was standing with my back to the workbench holding the action from her piano and had just given her some quotes about how much various repairs would cost when her child gave a few of the keys a good, solid whack with both hands and about a half-dozen hammers along with their attached—but now broken—hammershanks came sailing over my head. Into the sudden silence as they landed and bounced along the floor I added, “…and repairing the broken hammershanks will add about $10 each.”  The corrective actions were swift and firm and the little brat was a model of good behavior throughout the rest of the visit.  ddf  Delwin D FandrichPiano Design & Fabrication6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USAPhone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com" target="_blank" href="javascript:return">del@fandrichpiano.com </a>— <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com" target="_blank" href="javascript:return">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a>  From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Nereson Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 1:53 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] undisciplined kids     The customer calls and wants an assessment of their piano, how much work it will need, what condition it's in, how much it will cost.  So you go and do your estimate and the dreaded 7 year old comes in and starts pounding on the keys.  Then you call the parent to give them your assessment, and while you're trying to talk to them, they allow the kid to keep pounding away on the keys.  They make absolutely no effort to make the kid stop so you can hear yourself think, hear the customer, and speak in a normal tone of voice.  I just don't get it!  ("Oh, we can't stifle his creativity; we can't interrupt his precious expression of musical feeling.").      I glance back and forth between the client and the kid, giving every possible body language indication that it's really hindering my ability to communicate with them and remain professional.  But no, he's just an innocent kid; it would be inhumane to make him stop. Today I almost reached over to sweep his arms away from the keys, but stopped myself.   I just don't get it.  If I were the insurance adjuster or tax accountant, or even Grandpa, would they let the kid bang away like that when we're trying to talk?  AAArrrggghhh!!@#%#$%^#^#@!!!!!     --David Nereson, RPT </div></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div>