Okay folks - I am aware that I may be opening a can of worms here but why does this topic piss so many people off?

[Theclosetpagan]

I mean if someone has deemed a child G+T (or is it G or T) why is it that they seem to be flamed when they post about any difficulties here?

If the label has come from outside the family and the family struggle why can't they post here saying "Help" without people leaping in to say "your child sounds normal to me"

For what it's worth I don't have a child labelled as G+T but am glad I don't given the response some posters get to this topic.

Surely it's okay for some children to be extra bright. Or is it that there is distrust of this label?

Just interested really.

MB - my dd is desperate to play the cello, but she's only just turned 4, so she is a LITTLE small - I've said when she's in Y1 then she can. Having said that, watching Last Night of the Proms, she had a turn around and declared she instead wanted to play FRENCH HORN . My bank manager common sense said "no, cello is much nicer darling..."

So are lots of children according to their music teachers, but most wouldn't dream of posting in G&T about it.

What I mean KM is not everything has to be within the context of 'being gifted' - buying a cello is an interesting topic. But where to buy a cello has nothing to do with your ds being good at music. How is he getting on btw? I remember he was having keyboard lessons?

tortoiseshell ,that example exactly illustrates my point of further down . You sought feedback from the masses for that thread regardless of whether it was posted in G and T , Education, Products, Other Subjects or whereever. You therefore cannot be surprised when the same posters venture onto other G and T threads to offer opinions.

dd is very small for her age, she is 10 and is the same size as ds who is 7. So she is still using a 1/4 size hire cello. Music teacher has put us onto a possible 3/4 size, which according to music teacher is 'a good one, and good for the price'.

Thinks, must contact mother of child who wishes to sell cello.....

Luckily dd is NOT small - she is v tall, and broad well built!

Am I right in thinking you are cellist too mb?

No, I'm not! Which just shows how much I must love her to put up with the initial 'sawing'!

I used to play the flute, and still play the piano (a bit).

Tamum, this will make you laugh, following our visit to Edinburgh and seeing the tattoo, ds wants to play the bagpipes!!!!! {grin]

So we've got him a chanter.

Gawd help us

But KM, why? Why? There is no particular problem with having a child who is incredibly musical that would mean you have to announce it in the thread title, let alone when they haven't even started that particular instrument yet. Of course there are problems about being able to afford instruments and tuition but they affect lots of people, not just the top few percent.

Glad he's doing well KM. We have Grades here. Can I tentatively suggest you don't put him on too many instruments at once - he should be doing 15-30 mins practice every night per instrument, which is a LOT with 3 instruments. I have a few pupils who really struggle with 3, especially when they are busy with other things as well, and it is invariably the practice which suffers. Ds2 asked if he could start recorder the other day, but I'm not letting him as he is already doing piano (with me) and violin (at school), and he's only just turned 6, so I don't want to overburden him. I'd rather he had slightly too little music than slightly too much! Also you might find violin and cello fingering is different which might be confusing? (I seem to remember you use different fingers). But whatever you decide, good luck! Remember music is fun!!!

With regard to the original post, I'm always reminded of Friends when I read posts by people asking for help/advice because they have a G & T child. It's the episode where Ross can't decide what to do about the fact that Rachel loves him but he's dating Julie:

Chandler: Oh no! Two women love me! My wallet's too small for my fifties and my diamond shoes are too tight!

And I think that's why the topic gets so many people's backs up.

Oh blimey mb, good luck with that. There were kids playing the chanter in dd's last concert, and when the first one played I felt really sorry because this child was so obviously hopeless, and then as the others played I realised it was meant to sound like that.

Dd is 9, and just moved to a half size cello. I wish she'd been able to stick with the 1/4 size, it was a damn sight easier to carry

pmsl! Yes, it is rather horrible isn't it.

And we live in England! So everyone will hate us

mb - i saw from your profile you're in NE england - you anywhere near DUrham? (I'm not there now, but grew up there)

Hand on heart, I have no problem with G&T children - who would? you'd have to be very spiteful to not wish well to those who are naturally gifted.

I hope your children do well KM, they sound like they have lots of problems and masses of talent.

I say only this to you. The experience of everyone is valuable in some way. Why narrow yourself to G&T threads? Why ask a question only of them? There are thousands of pple on this board, hundreds of whom play the cello, and hundreds of them on a budget. I think you would have got a better, bigger, more rounded response by removing the label (so dangerous labels) and asking everyone.

And I don't mean to make an issue of that one thread, I would say that would apply to all questions. Of course there is a need for a g&t topic, but really I think we have to be so careful of labels.

Just be glad it wasn't a chanter SueW, honest. I quite like the bagpipes but these chanters...

Sue - the fingering was something I wondered about with ds1 - in violin '1' means your index finger, and in piano the thumb. Luckily ds1 isn't having any problems with that, but I had thought he would (as a piano teacher).

That sounds sensible SueW- ds did violin and piano exams within a week of each other this summer and it was quite a lot to handle. If he'd been any younger I think it would have been a real mistake. The only good thing was that he had the same examiner, so he was a bit more relaxed for the second one!