[Spirit]

Well, first off we tell parents that once a student enters the dojo or are at an event that we as a dojo are attending, they are our student and need to follow the dojo rules only. This way if the parent does not wish to follow the rules, theyunderstand them up front before they join the dojo and can make the desision to join or not to. The parents need to be told up front or at first chance of any undesired behavior at the dojo or event. One needs to be honest and firm, better to lose one student than to lose several do to that parent...

We are the dojo owners and chief instructors, they come to us for knowledge and quite often discipline (can tell you how many parents asked me to discipline or talk to their kids about issues, why do some people become parents???), if you do not walk the line you will be walked on. I have seen it so many times when a instructor is so concerned about being a nice guy/girl to everyone that they end up be walked all over and soon the dojo is closed.

Most tournaments will D/Q anyone no matter if it is the parent or the student who is getting out of hand...
The lounge/viewing area is all ways blocked off behind walls and doors so no noise etc makes it to the class, this also keeps negative energy out of the dojo.

Testing is always closed to anyone other than the students and even then we keep students seperated by rank and/or age groups as well.

Once you let one person do one kinda wrong thing even if it is small and you like the person and don't act on it, it will spread to others you may not like as much and grow, and grow & grow.

This may sound a bit autocratic, but it is your business and your rules...
Though I never let good deeds go by unnoticed as well, so it is a balance of kindness with a firm hand of rules.

You need to remember, the one person doing is seen by all not doing, but may once it is seen and not handled....