Possibly a little late to get in on this but here goes... I came across RUS about 3 years ago, when my daughter was 2 and starting to go to kindergarten. I had a mandolin someone gave me after I attended and enjoyed a David Grisman concert, and wanted to actually start playing it. Then I came across 2 sets of the tapes (there are 6), and purchased them second hand. I used the book and tapes along with a good chord book to teach myself over a hundred songs, and this has led me to being able to sit in with others, entertain many small children, and even start to pick things up that I am otherwise unfamiliar with, and to have a good time doing it. So, if you don't know the melodies, and or don't know how to start with chords etc, and or are in any kind of isolation as far as they are concerned (as I am, living on an island in the Pacific Northwest), you might find it a good starting place or tool to add to what you have already. The rest, about dogma and "thats not the way it goes", sounds too sickeningly like the nothinking teachers I try to keep out of my childs way - wanting to encourage her creativity and love of music, RUS has been a great addition. The good part about the tapes is you could sell them to someone like me who would be ever so grateful at the leg up. Sure they aren't great renditions - thats where the above comments about folk tradition come in (ditto and hurray! - make it your own). one other thing - they helped lead me here... one mans ceiling... zandr