I'm sure that the demise of compulsory music lessons in primary education has played a large part in the reduction of folk and accoustic music, just as the withdrawal of domestic science lessons has lead to a huge rise in food poisoning and poor nutrition.

The lack of all inclusive music lessons has meant that children of all backgrounds are only exposed to the music of their peers. If your house is filled with folk music, they'll assimilate it, but if all their school friends are playing hip hop, garage, house or rap, that's what they'll be interested in. When was the last time you heard a kid in a playground or at a bus stop demand their co-horts listen to the latest Martin Carthy record?

Limpit attends a school that has a huge interest in music - there are several choirs, orchestra, recorder lessons, violin lessons - but there is no time when the whole class sit together and learn to appreciate the music of history or the music of geography. Consequently, she is only interested in the music she is exposed to by her peers and by us.

She has expressed an interest in folk songs, she's even sung one in public at the age of 5, but her school friends have had no exposure to folk music, so she gets laughed at; as a result, she distances herself from it and has turned headbanger (my influence... sorry!).

I'm sure she'll 'return to the true path' as it were, because we'll continue to expose her to ceilidhs, folk CDs and singarounds, but it could take some time.. after all, when did you learn to ignore those who laughed at you and to walk your own path?

LTS