<p>Packmom, is the Herbst appliance something that moves the lower jaw forward? Because that’s next on the treatment list, so it would be nice to know. His friend that plays clarinet got something they refer to as “jasper jumpers” that is doing the same thing–pulling the lower jaw forward. She switched from clarinet to flute.</p>
<p>I appreciate all the shared info. here. My older son went to a Catholic middle school and one year of Catholic high school, and they didn’t offer band. When he switched to public school he frequently said he wished he’d had the opportunity for it. I too feel that band can be an amazing thing, but I fear my son’s experience has turned very negative. I think he was shocked at how irritated and dismissive his band teacher was about his painful mouth because he’d been pretty patient with some of the other kids when they got their braces. He really wasn’t expecting the negative reaction. I’m more than a little baffled by it, as they have a huge number of trumpets and are in fact being told often that the trumpets are too loud and to play more softly. Seems like they could live without my son for a bit. </p>
<p>I’d love for him to continue in band next year in 9th grade, but I don’t know if he can drop it in 8th and still join in 9th. Our high school band is not fantastic, and the marching band is downright pitiful, but it’s a good program. We have another high school in town that has an incredible band program, but I think it would be too demanding for my son anyway, so I felt this was a good fit–a chance to be a part of it and play some music, without having to raise the money to travel a lot. Unless his teacher switches tactics midstream, I really think he’s done. He’s been yelled at every day, and he’s had it. </p>
<p>Now, lest you think I’m one of those moms that thinks her son can do no wrong–I’m sure if there were an Olympic event for eye rolling my ds would be a gold medalist. I’m sure once the band director started pushing, my ds dug in his heals and started pulling. The band director is not well liked, and he loses a bunch of kids from 6th grade to 7th, and then another 25% from 7th to 8th. I don’t know if that’s typical, but it’s pretty dramatic at the concerts to see the size difference in each year. I feel a little out of my element because I didn’t particpate in band. I was talking to a friend who has an 8th grader at a different middle school, and she said when her 8th grader dropped the extra-curricular jazz band because he was too busy, his band grade took a steep dive–from an A to a C. Is this typical? I was talking to my brother today and I said it felt a little like a sport–that if you don’t commit to the travel team then the coach was not happy–and my brother, who is a musician said,“Oh, I think musicians can be even bigger ****** than sports nuts.” Hmmmm. I can’t imagine…</p>