my youngest learned to sew on an old straight stitch sewing machine of mine. the one I bought when I was first married in 1965. if I were you, I would go plain, and cheap. and probably used. a plain one.....do you have an old one, that you can designate as hers'? and keep it at your house to supervise her. you can sew your finger, you know. I almost did the other day when I was Free motion quilting....and we sure don't want that to happen...