SAIRA KHAN’S PICK OF THE WEEK

The story of four- year- old Brigitte Xie from ‘ Connecticut, who after just a year of learning the piano has won several elite competitions, is a great one to celebrate. She’s so cute, and I just get so elated when I see young talent because you think: “Wow, that is somebody to nurture.” And you know she’s going to bring so much happiness to so many people with her piano playing.

This story also goes to show that young minds can adapt to anything. And that’s why the Duchess of Cambridge’s big campaign on zero- to five-year-olds is so great because they really are the formative years – and this little girl is showing that. This story tells us you don’t know what your child’s potential is, unless you give them the opportunity to try and give them that varied experience.

It’s amazing that she’s won awards. But because kids are kids she doesn’t seem too bothered. She must be like: “Yeah, I’ve played piano to Mozart level. I’d like to just go down the waterslide now.”

She just loves playing, and all the awards are cherries on the cake. People may think, because she’s young, her mum or dad must be pushing her, and that’s not the case at all. As a parent, I really felt the pride of that mum, and love that she wasn’t zealous about it. Brigitte’s mum is a pianist and

‘ introduced her daughter to the piano during lockdown but hasn’t pushed her. It just goes to show. It’s at their own time, at their own pace, when they’re ready – my son was like it with chess.

If you can introduce your child to something that they love, you will see remarkable results.