pipmom, I think quitting a job to shuttle a kid around is .... a bit over the top; I know that made me raise my eyebrows!
thumper, I was just answering Xiggi's question about why oboists are so special. Surely you're not going to disagree with me about oboists being special, are you, regardless of whether being an oboist helps or doesn't in college admissions?
My kid wants to learn to play the bagpipes, more because so many people in our neighborhood like to share their music with us and he wants to retalia... er, share back than for any other reason. I told him to learn some tunes on one of the resident recorders and then I'd get him a practice chanter and see how he does.
I'd love it if he took up oboe, however. Or tuba!