When my oldest daughter, The Musician, was 4 years old, she came to me and said, “I am going to need a little violin and a little stick.” She wanted to take violin lessons so badly that it was all she talked about for weeks on end. Seeing visions of the New York Philharmonic in my mind, I dutifully signed her up for lessons. Everything went very smoothly for about 6 months. She willingly practiced every day, sometimes even twice. Getting her instrument out of its case brought joy and happiness. After her first concert, she came home beaming and even more excited.
Mercy for Marthas 