Grrr. DD in school band / clarinet and LOST it again...

[kiki02]

I didn't think about it getting stolen, sorry if I offended. At the school here their names are on the cases and it's a small enough class that the teacher knows right away if a kid who didn't have one suddenly ends up with one and would catch something like theft.

bus, bus driver, bus cleaners, bus depot.....

school staff, personnel, not a band member. does notmatter at this point. Name on it , but not engraved of course.

just tape.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I've been jealous of all those moms whose kids can take their instrument on the bus, but this post makes me glad my kid plays tuba and baritone. There is no way to lose one of those.

And I would seriously look at whether to allow her to continue with an instrument if she has lost it AGAIN. Once, maybe, but more than that would not warrant replacement here.

Ah see in my school if you played those instruments you only had to transport your mouthpiece back and forth. You were expected to have one at home to practice on and then use a school instrument during school hours. I could easily imagine someone losing the mouthpiece.

 

[kamik86]

I was in band for 3 years when I was in school and can't remember anyone losing their instrument.

There were many lost cleaning clothes/reeds/other small needed pieces, but not full instruments.

 

[FergieTCat]

You could switch her to piano lessons...

Or choir. Unless she gets laryngitis, she's good to go!

 

[kiki02]

I was in band for 3 years when I was in school and can't remember anyone losing their instrument.

There were many lost cleaning clothes/reeds/other small needed pieces, but not full instruments.

Happy for you! where we are, it has happened to several kids now.

????

 

[rewardsinlife]

Smaller the instrument the easier it seems to be to lose. At least your child doesn't have a piccolo!

another option is to rent monthly from a music store. Course, it will be expensive if it is lost and not returned.

You might want to have a bag specifically for the clarinet when you get it. I had to have one when I was in middle school because I did play the piccolo and flute...two instruments...and the smallest ones..you can bet it made it hard to keep track of them..ESP. On the bus. Once my family got me a specific bag that was big enough for both and each fit nicely into each compartment I never had to worry about it again. Or perhaps, designate a zipper section already in your child's pack pack jut for their instrument. That might help too!

Good luck!

 

[CyndiLooWho]

Ah see in my school if you played those instruments you only had to transport your mouthpiece back and forth. You were expected to have one at home to practice on and then use a school instrument during school hours. I could easily imagine someone losing the mouthpiece.

Well, the tuba stays and the baritone comes back and forth. He can practice tuba parts on the baritone at home, the fingerings are the same.

I priced tuba mouthpieces - $80 a pop! We pay for a special cleaner that they use on the tuba mouthpieces before and after each use, so no one has to worry about losing them.

My only real complaint is that neither of them fits well in the trunk of my dh's compact, and when he's out of town, I'd rather drive his car than spend on the gas for my big SUV. I don't have a lot of choice on instrument days...

 

[kwdw]

I gotta admit, losing an instrument once, okay....dumb, dumb move. A second time? You have problem, IMO. Sounds like she doesn't understand the value of money. She isn't treating it as a prized possession, or something she respects as costing a significant amount of money. You really need to inquire about her behaviors regarding carrying the instrument. On the bus, it should be in her lap. At school, in her locker or locked away in a band room. She should know it is either in her hand or locked safely away. There are no other options.

I played flute, then clarinet, then oboe for years! Between ages 8 to 18, nobody ever misplaced an instrument. Yes, one girl had hers stolen... During a large scale break in at the family home. She'd just bought a new expensive flute and was devastated.

Really, talk through her behaviors, talk to the band director about options, etc. she needs to learn to respect it as an item of significant value. And if she doesn't, it's either because she doesn't respect money or doesn't really love playing. Sounding a bit harsh here, I know, but losing an instrument a second time suggests more than a dumb mistake any kid could make once.

 

[dakcp2001]

I gotta admit, losing an instrument once, okay....dumb, dumb move. A second time? You have problem, IMO. Sounds like she doesn't understand the value of money. She isn't treating it as a prized possession, or something she respects as costing a significant amount of money. You really need to inquire about her behaviors regarding carrying the instrument. On the bus, it should be in her lap. At school, in her locker or locked away in a band room. She should know it is either in her hand or locked safely away. There are no other options.

I played flute, then clarinet, then oboe for years! Between ages 8 to 18, nobody ever misplaced an instrument. Yes, one girl had hers stolen... During a large scale break in at the family home. She'd just bought a new expensive flute and was devastated.

Really, talk through her behaviors, talk to the band director about options, etc. she needs to learn to respect it as an item of significant value. And if she doesn't, it's either because she doesn't respect money or doesn't really love playing. Sounding a bit harsh here, I know, but losing an instrument a second time suggests more than a dumb mistake any kid could make once.

And renting is a terrible idea because you'll be paying for it when the rental gets lost. And it will.

 

[dakcp2001]

bus, bus driver, bus cleaners, bus depot.....

school staff, personnel, not a band member. does notmatter at this point. Name on it , but not engraved of course.

just tape.

Buses have cameras. Clarinets are not a hot ticket item for kids to steal.

 

[lady9]

I'd check with the high school director to see if any graduating senior is looking to sell a clarinet. I agree with a previous poster, if your child really wants to play in the band but keeps losing her clarinet, make her pay for this one. You can have her do extra jobs around the house or find a relative willing to pay her to do yard work or other odd jobs. My 9 year old DS lost several jackets until we finally decided he had to pay for the replacement. We went to the bank, made him take out 1/2 the cost of the jacket and give it to us. Then he worked for the other 1/2 of the jacket. He never lost it again. Children take better care of things if they have to pay for them.

 

[jperrot1]

In my 20 years of teaching music I have had a lot of students tell me that their instrument has been stolen because they are sure they left the instrument in the music room in a certain spot. I always tell the student to look for it at home and everywhere else because they always show up. And they always have shown up. Usually they report to me it was at home. So, don't stop looking and you might find two clarinets.

 

[kiki02]

Buses have cameras. Clarinets are not a hot ticket item for kids to steal.

? Our boss has no camera. Clarinets are pretty expensive. The driver says it it was left on the bus, the bus went to the 'depot' and was cleaned and etc etc. She says it happens and they rarely see the items again.

Buying one on ebay.

 

[MrsPete]

I agree with having her work and pay for the clarinet.

When our oldest was about 5th grade, she lost her eye glasses. Pure irresponsibility. We had to buy her another pair, but we confiscated her beloved ipod 'til she "worked it off". She whined and complained, but we did not relent.

I do not regret making her life a bit miserable over the topic.

 

[dhdozier]

? Our boss has no camera. Clarinets are pretty expensive. The driver says it it was left on the bus, the bus went to the 'depot' and was cleaned and etc etc. She says it happens and they rarely see the items again.

Buying one on ebay.

Glad you found a solution that works out for you. However it does disturb me that your child's bus doesn't have cameras. Even in our small rural town we have cameras on our buses - for everyone's safety. And if the lady/driver saw it on the bus why would she leave it knowing anyone rarely gets anything back??

 

[bartleby1]

Glad you found a solution that works out for you. However it does disturb me that your child's bus doesn't have cameras. Even in our small rural town we have cameras on our buses - for everyone's safety. And if the lady/driver saw it on the bus why would she leave it knowing anyone rarely gets anything back??

No camera on our bus, but bus drivers have a lost and found. They are required to check each seat when their route is done so no children are accidentally left on the bus which would also make them find any forgotten items. I am quite certain all bus drivers must be required to do this nowadays! My kids have left things on the bus, but always get them back. I'd be screaming if something as valuable as a musical instrument disappeared at the bus company. Some instruments cost a couple thousand dollars! The school district has a contract with the bus company (or own them outright and employ their own drivers) and if they are not trustworthy enough to not steal items from children they are transporting, I would not feel safe entrusting them to drive my kids back and forth to school. My son did leave his saxophone on the bus one day behind the last seat. The next day, the bus driver had it sitting right up front waiting for him. She even told me that she found right after she dropped him off and came back to try to find us hoping we were still walking home but she couldn't find us and didn't know where we lived! Now,that was above and beyond the call if duty, but I'm glad that she was so kind and caring and it makes me feel good that she's looking out for the kids and their belongings as if they were her own.

Somebody at that bus company needs to be held responsible for stolen items.

That said, my son is ADHD which accounts for his disorganization and "forgetfulness". However, I still hold him accountable when he loses things and then we try to come up with a solution together to prevent it from happening again. On the bus, he sits in the very last seat and must keep his sax behind him (they are not allowed to keep them in the aisle or on their laps). Therefore, he doesn't see his sax when he goes to exit the bus which makes it harder to remember. So, we tied a string to the handle with a loop on the end that he holds during the bus ride home so it reminds him to take it when he leaves.

Buying a new instrument every time a child loses it really isn't a long term solution to the problem.

 

[kimsuenew]

Glad you found a solution that works out for you. However it does disturb me that your child's bus doesn't have cameras. Even in our small rural town we have cameras on our buses - for everyone's safety. And if the lady/driver saw it on the bus why would she leave it knowing anyone rarely gets anything back??

I teach, my sister is a librarian at another school, my husband a school bus mechanic, my son went to another school and my youngest sisters children attend yet another school (county-wide schools). The only school that has bus cameras was/are the one my son attended (most affluent in county) and then only some worked/were hooked up. The kids were told that they were there always however when push came to shove (literally, DS was attacked twice on the bus) no video was present however witnesses were so other child disciplined and DS was cleared. In our area they are the exception, not the rule so I wonder if it is that way in OP's area as well?

 

[seashoreCM]

There are many little details with just about any activity, and for playing in the band, taking care of the instrument is one of those details. Inability to handle even one detail is grounds for quitting the activity.

Musical instruments in their cases can be regarded as "suspicious objects" and when found unattended, they could be blown up by a bomb disposal squad.

I like the idea of tying a string to the instrument or case handle but the other end should be an armband or something that does not need to be continuously proactively held.

 

[okeydokey]

That said, my son is ADHD which accounts for his disorganization and "forgetfulness". However, I still hold him accountable when he loses things and then we try to come up with a solution together to prevent it from happening again. On the bus, he sits in the very last seat and must keep his sax behind him (they are not allowed to keep them in the aisle or on their laps). Therefore, he doesn't see his sax when he goes to exit the bus which makes it harder to remember. So, we tied a string to the handle with a loop on the end that he holds during the bus ride home so it reminds him to take it when he leaves.

Buying a new instrument every time a child loses it really isn't a long term solution to the problem.

What a simple and brilliant solution. Good job!

 

[crisi]

We bought two - one stays at home, one stays at school. Both were used, both we will resell when each kid gets done with their instrument - so the total out of pocket won't be that much. It was $800 out of pocket for the saxs and $600 tied up in clarinets.

In part because at our school the kids don't have time to get their band instruments from the band room and catch the bus. But I will admit, lost instruments did occur to me.