Letting people go

Today I had to tell a long-time student's mom that I could no longer work with that student anymore. There have been too many no-shows, examples of thoughtlessness, "forgetting" checks, breaking promises ... and I haven't been doing the student any favors by accepting excuses, rescheduling missed lessons, or accepting payment weeks late. It has to stop for my own self-preservation as well as to teach the student that there are consequences for bad behavior.

I'm sad about this. I hate letting good singers go, even if it's for good reasons. And this student has a great deal of potential - great musician, fine young voice, and smart.

The two students that I've had to let go because of trust issues were both people who professed to be beyond-devout Christians... and I've caught both of them in lies.