1. Columnist hit most important points, but skipped "It's not too late for you to take up an instrument again". Also, for a kid in middle and high school it may be that "I have to cut my nails short" is a strong and valid complaint. She wants to be attractive, and the nails are part of that. Sure, if she loved piano she'd probably suck it up... but she doesn't. (Still, LW might consider compromising by finding another teacher who is more lax and who, perhaps, has a wider range of music they teach.)

2. Poor Mia! Somebody needs to hit those parents with a strong dose of the clue-by-four.