My parents have the baby grand piano that will be mine someday (it has real ebony and ivory keys!) - if I ever have a house large enough to house it again! They got me a digital piano (which I LOVE) after I'd been in grad school for a while so I could keep playing. I took lessons from age 7 through college continuously (so, 14 years?) in addition to playing solo flute and both flute and piano in ensemble. I was the pianist for my college orchestra for about a year. I also didn't always love lessons and wanted to quit many times, but my mom wouldn't let me. When I got to college, it was my choice to keep taking lessons (for credit) and it was a wonderful way to relax and get away from my studies, while still doing something that counted toward my academic program :-)

I really couldn't keep up on the piano after Sadie was born until she started playing violin in kindergarten, and then I accompanied her during practice and in recitals. She quit private lessons a couple years ago, but has played in her school orchestra since 3rd grade. I miss playing and accompanying her, but hope I'll be able to get back to it at some level eventually.....

Having learned an instrument well at an early age is an incredible gift.