Posted by David on November 17, 2001 at 13:20:44:
In Reply to: irked about parents posted by Julie on November 16, 2001 at 23:28:15:
Julie, you can be bitter about the situation or you can get over it. The fact that you have a horn is better than none at all. Ignore the other kid and he will have nothing to gloat about to you.
Now, in answer to your question. My parents bought my first horn when I was in the 10th grade, a Meinl Weston model 30 CC, 4 rotary valve. I knew it took money out of their pockets that could have been used otherwise. I took very good care of it and could count the number of dents after 17 years of use. To this day, I am very glad my parents cared enough to spend the money.
Every instrument since then has been out of my own pocket.
What my parents did was out of love and not to make me stand out from the crowd or to "toot my own horn". My parents and those of my wife set examples for us to follow. We purchased violins and a viola for our son that, while we couldn't really afford some of them, we knew it was important to his education. He knew it was out of our love of him as well.