One day — and this day will surely come — the child will come up to us and ask for a musical instrument. A guitar, most likely. Drums, if we're really unlucky.

No, we'll say.

Why, the child will ask.

Because your mother says you can't, we'll answer.

If only it were so!

The truth? Well, look at the fate of Hillel Slovak, the founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His first guitar? A bar mitzvah present. His fate? A heroin overdose. Don't tell us the two are not related!

And you know what? Maybe they aren't. Or, perhaps, we can put the faith that our children will just say no. But a career as a musician?

Why not be a doctor, lawyer, professor, scientist...

What kind of Jewish parents do you think we are?