Tim Minchin on Music, kids and creativity 

Modeling is key word. Good on you, Tim ❤

This is very true. Hearing my dad play piano when I was very young was got me interested in music. My parents never pressured me into lessons, and I ended up being much more interested in composing than performing. Even the elective music curriculum in high school was totally focussed on learning an instrument with the goal of performing, and if that hadn't been the case, I might have continued studying music through the end of high school and afterwards. But everything was "You _must_ learn an instrument and have professional lessons if you want to do music," and I just kind of drifted away from it. I recently started composing again, 20 years down the line, but things could have been very different if I'd had the support of people with Tim's mentality back then.

Very wise words Tim. I asked an elderly piano teacher a few years back when a child was old enough to start piano lessons. He said, "when they show an interest. Before then, there's not much point". We, like you have a house full of instruments. I can't play any of them well, but my daughter can now use the piano, which she hasn't learnt, to help her learn guitar, which she is learning. Instruments are the gretest toys ever invented and don't cost any more than the other plastic rubbish kids have heaped upon them.

Thankyou very much. Like so many, I admire your creativity and performances. I'm a very old folkie. Yes I play a few instruments, self taught. Also build my own instruments. More to the point. I spent three decades as a secondary school workshops teacher. The only thing that I could hope that I might have achieved over the years. Is hopefully empowered them, or given them the confidence to believe that they can create things of their own choice, later in their life. Having said that, We have grandchildren who are creative and capable, beyond our wildest dreams . I'm not sure If we have played any part in this.