I worked in schools for 35 years and what a HUGE change there has beeen in the behaviour of children. Parents, many of them at least, have become hostages to the whims of thier children, they are afraid to say no to them...
This is my 29th year as a private music teacher, and I do know, very well, where you're coming from GUEST. I'm just so glad I finally took Mooh's advice and changed my studio polices last year regarding payments, missed lessons and termination of lesson agreement. (THank you SO MUCH again, Mooh, if you're reading this! :-)
The financial hits I used to take on a regular basis, as parents catered to the fleeting whims and fancies of their little darlings -- and neglected to pay me for the resulting no-shows and last-minute cancellations -- became just plain staggering. And the stress of dealing with at least half a dozen requests for rescheduling per week - for the most ridiculous of excuses too (ie 11-yr old doesn't show up at lesson time. I'm sitting there waiting and wondering, the phone rings and I get "Sorry, she just doesn't feel like getting out of the hot tub right now. So I guess she won't make it to piano tonight. What else can I do with her?!?") - well, it was starting to take a physical toll too, believe me!
I simply cannot accomodate the ever-changing schedules and whims and wishes of 25 or 30 families - there is only one of me, and only so many hours per week available for teaching. So if you want lessons with me, then you will make a commitment for the term, pay me IN ADVANCE and live up to your scheduling agreements - whether Junior happens to "feel like it" or not. Or go elsewhere.