There’s a very mumsnet conversation happening on my train…

[UpperLowerMiddleClass]

Two mums discussing their primary school aged children. Distinct frenemy vibes. Of course it goes without saying their initial conversation covered just how well their children are doing academically.

Discussion then moved on to extra curricular activities. Mum A proudly saying what grade piano her daughter is doing, how she’s playing violin in the school orchestra etc, when Mum B pulls out a trump card - her daughter is excelling at the harp! But it’s all such a bother, wouldn’t you know? The logistics of transporting the harp, the cost of replacement strings etc.

Mum A tries to rally with a swerve towards sports and there’s mention of her son making the school hockey team. But I can tell her heart’s not really in it. Deep down she knows she can’t compete with the travails of harp logistics. Mum B has won this round.

And before anyone asks why I’m being so nosy, or why I have nothing better to do: Their conversation is LOUD and PROJECTING. I can’t ignore them. I’d love to be immersed in my book but instead I’m now learning all about the intricacies of harp upkeep and maintenance.

A pipe organ that is SUCH a pain to transport around the country!

We had family friends whose two daughters played the bagpipes. I couldn't get a sound out of the mouthpiece.

When I was at school we sang Holst's Hymn to Vena in the school choir with a piano accompaniment. We went to his house last year and it prompted me to find a recording of it on Youtube and they had it with a harp. I have to say my music teacher was very good at making the piano sound like a harp.

Is there a need to transport a harp? You don’t transport a piano, yet children still learn to play one.

This is hysterical, I have a harpist. And yes, it tended to shut 'em up, when they got going. However much tutoring they were doing, we always had the harp, lol.

Ugh, I would just cringe and a part of me would feel the need to intervene and say oh for goodness sake, why the need for such superficial baiting?

When you have a ND child all you care about is their health, doing brilliantly at being able to learn at their own pace, develop friendships and regulate themselves.

Even if I had a 'gifted ' child, I would certainly not see it as a tool to compete and the same feelings would apply.

One for the grandchildren!

My favourite overheard stealth boast was a fellow school pupil telling a newly joined pupil about his family’s four different businesses, with the cherry on the top being ‘oh and we do weddings too… you know, with having the Rolls Royce’.

I am none of these things, it has to be said. My daughter's harp teacher is now more of a mentor, and they will be continuing online at uni. She's a magical person and I very much hope she's always in her life.

It's time to introduce the sub-contra-bass tuba....

My best overheard conversation on a train, heading to a small rural market town, listening to someone who seemed like a fairly major drug dealer who had that day been released from prison in London arranging a pick up (cocaine, I am not totally stupid, even if old and grey haired) From what I gathered, it was most certainly not personal use. Really blatant and loud.

I got off, looked for the guard's van, was joined by another woman who I hadn't seen saying did you hear that? Guard joined us and said that he'd arranged for police at the next station, not sure that they would be able to do much at that point.

Did they get in?

@Emptyandsad I think I might be too short to take that up unless I'm allowed to stand on a step ladder! I bet it makes a fabulous noise and has a deep note like a fog horn 😂

There must be some health benefits playing that! 🤣

Love this! Made me laugh!

How Basic. My10 year old has mastered the theremin and joined the Spanish Riding School in Vienna (as an instructor).

I met someone once who played the church organ, learnt at Westminster School I think. Said ‘But I only like to play GOOD church organs’ 😁. To this day I wish I’d asked what is a good church organ vs bad church organ (I think cathedral=good, bog standard church and organ?=bad)

That was a great humble brag tho. Or maybe it was a brag brag?

Go find the jack whitehall mum top trumps sketch, where his mum meets Robert Pattison’s mum in the supermarket

The only instrument I really wanted to play was the harp and my mum wouldn’t let me as we had ‘no room for a harp’ and ‘how would we get it to places’.

At my South London secondary (NOT private) we had a music teacher who was basically top dog, and made sure everybody took music VERY seriously. Once you got to Grade V in your first instrument, you were pressured to take up a second. I got tried on cello, French horn, flute, organ and HARPSICHORD before we had to conclude that my musical gifts really didnt extend beyond the piano.

This was the 70s, mind; a time when music in schools was actually funded.

Now that wouldn't fit in a Metro!!!

Yeah but way more likely to have a piano in school than a harp.

I bet that having the space indoors for big instruments puts many people off trying one out or buying their own one.
Ds2’s teacher had room for a baby grand piano in her house , but not many people do!
Guitars are fairly portable , hence the popularity.

Lol OP you should write a book.

Am I the only one who finds it strange that two women talking about children’s clubs are not competing? It’s just starting a fact in the conversation. I think the OP has a chip on her shoulder because her kids do no clubs.
my children do lots of clubs (their choice) and I’m happy to talk about them if someone asks. I’d also be very impressed if I heard about an unusual hobby or instrument, but not feeling like I have to compete with it. Really strange comments here. I get it’s supposed to be light hearted but assuming that there’s some rivalry over children’s clubs is ridiculous.

Ha my son was in a pre professional ballet programme.
i genuinely HATED trudging all over the country to lessons and workshops by train.
If ONLY he’d taken up the harp 😭