Thread: What's your policy on minors?

I was told recently my policy on minors is a little too strict. It's pretty straightforward (and I've only had one minor). Parent or guardian must be in attendance and they must be able to sign a waiver and letter of agreement. The waiver is standard for everyone. The letter of agreement is just for a parent stating they are allowing their child to take classes, they understand what their child is doing, they are responsible for their minor and they are responsible for their child being at classes on time and leaving on time. It's all pretty basic and protects me and the minor student.

I was wondering what your policy on teaching minors is? Also to note. I teach from a home studio. It's very open to the outside and not open to my home itself.

I have everyone sign a release of liability form which also states that they have received, read & agree to general class policy, so it's not so onerous to have parents of minors do the same- that seems totally reasonable.

Is there a reason you are requiring a parent/guardian to be present tho? If you are talking kids under 6, yeah I see a point, or if this were a private lesson, but most extra curricular activities beyond that point are rarely attended by a parent. There have actually been occasions where having parents present has been a detriment to the class & I don't allow it unless parents are paying participants in the class too.

Imagine what could happen if a minor was injured on site. Having a waiver is a good idea. Most other extra-curricular activities are probably associated with a school, rec center, or other organization that has liability insurance, has protection for instructors as employees, and waivers galore.

Also, what about video-taping practices or performances with a minor? It'd make my skin crawl at the thought of what could happen.

Eek. Sorry. I wrote "must be in attendance". I should have written "must be in attendance for the first class". I do that because I want to have a chance to meet with their parents and talk to them.

One instance was enough to make me do that. I had a younger girl who wanted to dance but her parents were all against it. She was being sneaky trying to have them drop her off and told them is was tutoring. She also went as far as forging a signature. So, having a parent there the first time keeps that from happening again. I want to meet and speak with them and have a chance to answer questions and ease anxious minds.

Bella, I know some dancers/teachers who video tape all classes. It's something I've adopted because it protects you and the dancers.

Originally Posted by BELLA_BELLA

Imagine what could happen if a minor was injured on site. Having a waiver is a good idea. Most other extra-curricular activities are probably associated with a school, rec center, or other organization that has liability insurance, has protection for instructors as employees, and waivers galore.

Also, what about video-taping practices or performances with a minor? It'd make my skin crawl at the thought of what could happen.

Absolutely, you need a waiver, also emergency contact, etc- but I require that from *Everyone*- what would happen if an adult in class has an accident?
& if you are teaching anywhere, at the very least *you*, personally, need liability insurance and a current CPR/first aid certificate. I advise a formal safety plan as well.

I do the release form as well. I also ask to at least meet the parent(s). I haven't had anyone be sneaky, but do want the parents to know what their minor child is doing. I also do not allow visitors in class (one of the rules they all agree on) yet for minors their parents are welcome to stay and watch if they want, although they never do. I just had one come to the end of one class and watch for a few minutes.
Personally I don't think your rules are too strict, afterall, you do need to protect yourself.

Originally Posted by TribalFused

Eek. Sorry. I wrote "must be in attendance". I should have written "must be in attendance for the first class". I do that because I want to have a chance to meet with their parents and talk to them.

One instance was enough to make me do that. I had a younger girl who wanted to dance but her parents were all against it. She was being sneaky trying to have them drop her off and told them is was tutoring. She also went as far as forging a signature. So, having a parent there the first time keeps that from happening again. I want to meet and speak with them and have a chance to answer questions and ease anxious minds.

Ah, yes, that makes more sense. I have always had the parent/guardian present to sign the release form- I think I, too, would be leery if that was not the case & I didn't have a chance to talk to the parent.

Overall, sounds like you are on sound footing- do you have everyone else sign a release form too? that may defray the "I'm being picked on" sentiment. other than that, stick to your guns. You have to do what is right for you to cover yourself & protect your students- & that may be another angle- remind them that it is part of your studio safety policy.

Don't worry. I understand everyone's concerns. I have CPR certification (I had to have it for the church's nursery but it works out!) I do have insurance and everyone must sign a waiver. They can't even think about taking classes until the waiver is signed. When it comes to minors the standard waiver is signed and the parent also signs a letter of agreement that goes with the waiver. It's extra protection for me and the minor student.

Edited to add:
I do appreciate the concerns. I was very fortunate to have a good mentor who went over everything with me, including insurance, waivers and the rest!

Originally Posted by TribalFused

Eek. Sorry. I wrote "must be in attendance". I should have written "must be in attendance for the first class". I do that because I want to have a chance to meet with their parents and talk to them.

My rule is no one under the age of 15 unless accompanied by parent/older sibling/relative. and that's every class. Sorry -- just not a sitter (did that as a girl scout leader ,m::) and my experience with students under 15 who attend on their own is that they are either intimidated by the adult students and thus hold back asking questions, or that they spend their time mugging in the mirror rather than paying attention to what the class is drilling, or that the attention span needed for a 1 1/2 hour class just isn't there.

Originally Posted by kat

My rule is no one under the age of 15 unless accompanied by parent/older sibling/relative. and that's every class. Sorry -- just not a sitter (did that as a girl scout leader ,m::) and my experience with students under 15 who attend on their own is that they are either intimidated by the adult students and thus hold back asking questions, or that they spend their time mugging in the mirror rather than paying attention to what the class is drilling, or that the attention span needed for a 1 1/2 hour class just isn't there.

My policy is similar. I won't allow anyone under 18 to enroll without a parent or guardian (and generally I'll only permit it if the individual is 14-17). I do this for all the reasons Kat just described. I have a "parental consent" form which is basically just a different version of my standard liability waiver.

I just have not had pleasant experiences with teens/tweens in my classes, so I had to put my foot down...

Nisaa

When I started dancing at 14, I just had to sign the normal waiver.
It's such a bummer to hear that some people have had bad experiences with teenagers in their classes, but then I suppose it isn't that surprising.

double post

double post

Hey TribalFused, this is totally off topic but drop me a line sometime...g.:

neither i nor my mother signed anything with any of my teachers from the time i started taking class at the age of seven and all through my teens. but that was almost twenty years ago and from what i remember, everything was a little more lax back then.

aside from that, my mother attended almost every single class of mine from the beginning to about age 13/14. I have to say that it was very detrimental in the sense that she was very much a stage mom, demanding perfection from the first time the choreography was shown. i was very intimidated by the presence of my mom and didn't ask as many questions. i also did not enjoy the classes my mother attended as much as i did the classes i went to alone.

on a side note, god bless one of my teachers for putting up with my teenage angst - i remember eating popcorn and reading the phantom tollbooth during the floor warm up of a class. ..c::also, snuck in some chapters during the choreography breakdown. god, i was awful, so i can understand some teacher's unwillingness to take on teenage students.

it is a good idea to protect yourself. be sure to have a parent present to sign the release. videotaping is also a good way to protect yourself besides being a good teaching tool.

Kat & Nisa- I think it is such a pity you have had such poor experiences with younger dancers! I am not sure I would have been able to start dance when I did (age 12) had my mother been required to come.

My experience has been that getting mom *out* of the room has been key to getting younger students to open up more- not always true, I have had a couple great mother daughter pairs, but that was dependent on mom being an enthusiast as well.

I haven't always found teens to be the most dedicated students, but I've never had them cause a distraction or refuse to listen. I had a really fun crew of three 8 year olds last year. I miss them already & hope they'll be back in the fall. I do have smaller classes because I like it that way, so I wonder if that is a contributing factor as well?

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

My policy is similar. I won't allow anyone under 18 to enroll without a parent or guardian (and generally I'll only permit it if the individual is 14-17).

18!!! - I'd left home by then - what I should bring my Mum 365 miles to allow me to attend a dance class? I can drive a car, rent a flat, have sex with my boyfriend but not attend a dance class? Honestly, treat adults like kids and they'll act like children.

I accept anyone at High School in my class without a parent. However, I prefer to met them - for a number of reasons - and I require their contact details (not only if I have to cancel a class but to check that if a student hasn't turned up for class they are at home and not sneaking off with their boyfriend - see above - takes one to know one)

I also accept well behaved and motivated students between 10-13 with an enrolled parent.

Fortunately, New Zealand has a no fault accident law - ie everyone is entitled to treatment for an injury for free in return for you not being able to sue for an accident. Makes insurance much easier.

Originally Posted by kashmir

18!!! - I'd left home by then - what I should bring my Mum 365 miles to allow me to attend a dance class? I can drive a car, rent a flat, have sex with my boyfriend but not attend a dance class? Honestly, treat adults like kids and they'll act like children.

I accept anyone at High School in my class without a parent. However, I prefer to met them - for a number of reasons - and I require their contact details (not only if I have to cancel a class but to check that if a student hasn't turned up for class they are at home and not sneaking off with their boyfriend - see above - takes one to know one)

I also accept well behaved and motivated students between 10-13 with an enrolled parent.

Fortunately, New Zealand has a no fault accident law - ie everyone is entitled to treatment for an injury for free in return for you not being able to sue for an accident. Makes insurance much easier.

Yeah here in the US you are a minor and your parent or legal guardian is responsible for you until you are 18 years of age. That is the magic age here. If we allow a minor in our classes and their parents did not consent to it we run the risk of legal action against us. So we have to have anyone under the age of 18 have their parent or legal guardian consent to them being in a class or participate in any activities and so forth.

So we all have to follow some kind of rules on this. Like I said before I allow minors in my classes I just prefer to meet the parents or guardians so they are clear what their child is up to, and of course they sign a consent form that they know their child is in a belly dance class along with the other paperwork other people have to sign. But I agree most people in their teens don't want their parent there watching every class, and frankly most parents are fine with leaving them there and going off and doing their own thing or letting them drive themselves there.

So like you, I left when I could, at 18 for me, and never looked back! ..l;,

would anyone like to share the waiver they require to be signed? interested to see whats covered /not covered

Originally Posted by kashmir

18!!! - I'd left home by then.

Um, so did I. That doesn't mean I was any less of a brat.

Sorry, I just don't have a desire to teach minors, and the policy I have in place is to ensure that I have a mature student body. Granted, that doesn't mean you don't have the occasional 30 year old who acts like a 15 year old...

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

would anyone like to share the waiver they require to be signed? interested to see whats covered /not covered

Sabrina,
Please PM me your e-mail address if you'd like to see mine. Essentially, it's the exact same language as my liability waiver/image release, but it's completed and signed by the parent/guardian of the minor student rather than the student herself. It's loooong because it was drafted by a lawyer, and some of the language is specific to Missouri.

Nisaa

In my group classes, the enrollment is handled by the places I teach, and they allow anyone 16 and over in my class. I believe they require a parent/guardian signature for the 16 and 17 year olds.

In my private classes, which are taught in my home studio, anyone under 18 must have their waiver signed by the parent/guardian. I just use the same waiver I use for adults.

I don't allow parents to observe in any of my classes. I have a very strict no observer policy across the board - if you are there, you have to be enrolled in and participating in the class.

I choose not to teach anyone under the age of 12. My teaching methods are not a good fit for smaller kids, and I really don't have the interest in greatly modifying the way I teach for children. I'm also not really much of a "kid person" in general.

Originally Posted by Zobeida

aside from that, my mother attended almost every single class of mine from the beginning to about age 13/14. I have to say that it was very detrimental in the sense that she was very much a stage mom, demanding perfection from the first time the choreography was shown.

I started when I was 14, my mother drove me for 2 years, until I had a car and license to drive my self. She stayed for almost all of those classes, usually reading a book. The studio was a half hour from my house, there was no way she was going to drop me off, drive home, turn around and drive back. She was very unobtrusive and I only remember one or two people asking about her.

Honestly I behaved better than a lot of the adults even though I was only 14 ..l;, I guess it depends on the person, which can make a set policy very difficult

i've had students whose mother let's them dance, but their father would not allow it and they hide it from him. parents divorced.

what would you do in that case?

i've never asked for the parents to sing anything. i basically dont ask anyone to sign anything. my online form does have some waivers (medical, etc) that they "sign": "by submitting the enrollment form i attest i have read and agreed to the class guidelines and regulations", something like that.

i allow parents of minor's to watch part of the first class should they wish so. no spectators after that first class. and 14 is the absolute min age i'll allow students.

Originally Posted by TribalFused

Eek. Sorry. I wrote "must be in attendance". I should have written "must be in attendance for the first class". I do that because I want to have a chance to meet with their parents and talk to them.

One instance was enough to make me do that. I had a younger girl who wanted to dance but her parents were all against it. She was being sneaky trying to have them drop her off and told them is was tutoring. She also went as far as forging a signature. So, having a parent there the first time keeps that from happening again. I want to meet and speak with them and have a chance to answer questions and ease anxious minds.

i even get annoyed, when a 16-17 year old wants to enroll and their mom phones up FOR them. at that age i had to make my own phone calls to enquire about classes! it always makes me doubt about how they are going to fare in a class with 20-30-40 somethings... i dont mind teenagers in class, but i prefer them to be the independent type, who can get around without their mom...

Originally Posted by kashmir

18!!! - I'd left home by then - what I should bring my Mum 365 miles to allow me to attend a dance class? I can drive a car, rent a flat, have sex with my boyfriend but not attend a dance class? Honestly, treat adults like kids and they'll act like children.

I accept anyone at High School in my class without a parent. However, I prefer to met them - for a number of reasons - and I require their contact details (not only if I have to cancel a class but to check that if a student hasn't turned up for class they are at home and not sneaking off with their boyfriend - see above - takes one to know one)

I also accept well behaved and motivated students between 10-13 with an enrolled parent.

Fortunately, New Zealand has a no fault accident law - ie everyone is entitled to treatment for an injury for free in return for you not being able to sue for an accident. Makes insurance much easier.

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

i even get annoyed, when a 16-17 year old wants to enroll and their mom phones up FOR them. at that age i had to make my own phone calls to enquire about classes! it always makes me doubt about how they are going to fare in a class with 20-30-40 somethings... i dont mind teenagers in class, but i prefer them to be the independent type, who can get around without their mom...

That's not how I would have interpreted that- a parent phone call, to me, is more a sign of a responsible parent concerned about making sure their child's activities are all above board & legit. Not that teens who call on their own don't have involved parents- but why so quick to read something into a very natural parental act?

I think it is very natural & understandable for some folks to not want to deal with children in dance class. It's not too unlike conversations I've had with teachers who don't like teaching beginning classes, or my husband who would never in a million years voluntarily take a job at a middle school. Thankfully, there are those of us who do delight in working with kids, beginners, teach middle school etc. It takes all kinds & it is good to hear that folks *ARE* aware of what you need to do to protect both your students & yourselves when dealing with minors.

I have to say, tho- I don't think I would ever teach a private lesson with a minor student without someone else present. That is one of the first things drilled into our heads when dealing with youth programs!

Artemisia, when it comes to a minor student who's parents are divorced I would find out which parent has primary custody. That parent would make the ultimate decision on the class.

An old instructor of mine had a troupe that was mostly minors. Man, she was *careful*! Every single class was videotaped. It was always in the open, parents and other people were present and she had a consent form a mile long. She never had an issue with any student but she was certainly covering every base she had.

here, parents have mostly JOINT custody. you would actually go and ask them that? if i did that, people would be insulted. (eh, mom, are you sure it's ok for you to sign the form, you do have custody? i cant really imagine that conversation).

what i mean is at that age... i dont care. kids is a different thing, but adolescents? of course we have a different culture than the us when it comes down to suing people for stuff. i'm insured, the students are insured, and that's it. nobody would ever think about asking anything else. so no, i dont ask the parents for anything. i take all the payments over the bank account and usually it's one of the parents that forked over. proof enough for me that one of them agrees, and that's it. but really, i dont care. what if a teen comes and takes a bellydance class without her parents knowing? it's not a sekt, we're all keeping our clothes on, it states on my website that parents of minors are welcome to come and watch part of a class, i cant see anything anything they could hold against me. not that i ever had situations like that, but , well, i'm not worried either.

now, minors for group performances, even city fete's etc, that's a totally different ball game, for public performances, then i do want to have had at least telephone contact with one of them... and i need to know they approve.

i took dozens of classes in all kinds of stuff as a kid and a teen. my parents never had to sign anything, unless there was some out of town thing involved.

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

here, parents have mostly JOINT custody. you would actually go and ask them that? if i did that, people would be insulted. (eh, mom, are you sure it's ok for you to sign the form, you do have custody? i cant really imagine that conversation).

Custody and legal guardianship aren't always the same thing.

I'd be inclined to just add an extra line to to the waiver which states that the adult signing it on behalf of the minor affirms that they have the legal right to waive liability for the child under the law of wherever they live.