Do you live with a bad gift-giver? I don’t… but Andrea does! Or should I say… Andrea did. You see, I come from a long line of bad gift-givers; a long line of men who buy survival suits for fair-weather boaters, 3 pairs of slippers at a time for wives with only two feet, and Bath Accessory Gift Baskets for wives who love a good shower.
Yup… you might say that when God was handing out the gift-giving gene my male relatives and I were playing hookey.
Wow That’s Awesome!
Yes, that’s the statement that usually precedes the purchase of a bad gift. In fact, when my Dad and I bought my Mom a full-body survival suit for boating… we both said, “Wow, that’s awesome.”
What we should have said was, “Wow that’s awesome, but would Mom ever be caught dead wearing it?” But we didn’t… and now it’s a great story.
I Bet Successful Piano Teachers Are All Great Gift-Givers
Successful piano teachers, like successful gift-givers, know that an awesome idea, teaching strategy, resource, (or gift) is only awesome if it is perceived as being so by the end user.
The most successful piano teachers make every decision with the needs of each individual student in mind. They know that every piano student who walks through their door is a world of “different” and needs to be treated as such.
No longer is it good enough to say “Oooh, this piano book looks great!” Because the really successful piano teachers are saying, “Ooooh this piano book looks great for Katy (or Steven, or…).”
Selecting good piano books is one of the most important student-specific decisions you can make! In fact, after searching in vain for music that truly excited our boy students, Andrea and I set out to create it ourselves. The result… The Adventures of Fearless Fortissimo. If you’re having a hard time (as we did!) finding music that appeals to the busy boys on your bench, then check out The Adventures of Fearless Fortissimo. It will be a “gift” that your students will definitely appreciate!
And Now For Some Really Bad Gifts
While I may not be the world’s greatest gift-giver, I can certainly say I stand above the people in the video below. Check it out for a good laugh.
When I first read the title of this post, I thought, “Really? I am a horrible gift-giver!” Then, I read the post. I’m actually just horrible at remembering that an event for a gift is coming up, in the first place! And I despise having to choose a gift for someone out of obligation! But when a person is important to me, and the need for the gift is significant, I would say that I’m a great gift-giver. And I have tons of fun with gift-giving (this often includes actually making it) in this situation, as well.