Music Lessons for babysitting services

Our 14 year old daughter has been asking for guitar lessons for about a year now. She took piano lessons for two years several years ago, but since she didn't make very good progress, and didn't really enjoy the lessons, we let her stop.

I have been wanting to return to piano lessons for a couple of years now, but she says she really wants to learn to play the guitar. So, we were in a stale-mate, and no music lessons were being pursued.

Then along came the perfect solution! Our neighbors are very accomplished in the performing arts and he is an especially talented musician. It has been discussed by us at different times in casual conversation that he could give music lessons to our children. But, coming up with more money for one more activity is a problem, so, it was just a far-off thought of someday...

But, these neighbors now have a 6 month old baby boy (who is absolutely adorable!), and they needed a babysitter for him one night a week so that they could teach a class together. When they discovered the going rate of a babysitter for a baby for 2.5 hours a week, they were a little discouraged.

My daughter has plenty of experience babysitting with her two little brothers, plus she babysits two little girls on a regular basis for a fellow homeschool mom who works out of her home. And, my daughter Really wanted to babysit for our neighbors baby - who wouldn't? He's So Cute!!! So, a nice trade came to mind.

How about babysitting in trade for music lessons? For all of us, it was the perfect solution. I wanted Caitlin to have more music theory and piano basics, she wanted to learn to play the guitar, and they needed a babysitter.

At her age, he told me, she could easily take lessons for both instruments at the same time. Yea! He said the guitar will give her more rapid success and keep her motivated, and the piano will be a more long-term music theory instrument.

One night a week she walks across the street to receive an hour of piano/guitar lessons, and then another night a week, she walks across the street to babysit their little angel. What could be more perfect? As my husband frequently says, though, perfection is of The Lord - but this is a pretty good solution, wouldn't you agree?

Have I mentioned how sweet their little baby is? He is probably the most laid-back, agreeable, easy-going baby I've ever met.