What’s On The Radio?
by Tara Pringle Jefferson
When I’m in the car with my kids, I try to make it a point to listen to the jazz station. Smooth music, for the most part, no lyrics, with few commercials.
Some days I forget and then all of a sudden, I hear Lil’ Wayne talking about…hell, whatever he raps about. I really don’t know.
I quickly flip the station and throw a glance at the babies in the backseat. My kids are only 3 and 1, so I don’t feel like they need to be exposed to that music now, if ever. They’re so impressionable and basically little parrots that repeat everything they hear. My daughter got “Single Ladies” stuck in her head for WEEKS.
I want them to grow up and appreciate GOOD music, the kind that makes you cry if you hear it performed live, the kind that still sounds sweet the 1,453 time you’ve heard it. I’m sorry, but Lil’ Wayne ain’t it.
So I’m asking you: What do your kids listen to in the car? Do you keep it on a certain channel? Hook up your iPod so you have complete control over what the little ones hear?
Tara Pringle Jefferson is a freelance writer living in Ohio with her husband and two children. Visit her blog, www.theyoungmommylife.com, to read more of her observations about life, motherhood and love.
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We listen to a lot of kiddie music (toddler songs, Veggie Tales cds and cartoon movie soundtracks), gospel and symphonic music in my car. They listen to jazz when they are in the car with my husband. My 6 year old is now on a Michael Jackson kick, so we’ve been listening to more than our fair share of “Off the Wall” and “Thriller.”
I’m with you. I want my children to have an appreciation for all types of music. Moreover, I don’t want to introduce them to things that aren’t age appropriate to listen to/sing about. Now, I realize that I was singing “As We Lay” in 4th grade (lol!) and I turned out okay. But overall, I don’t appreciate the themes and lyrics in most of today’s music, so I choose not to expose my children to it right now.
Do you remember that stupid song back in the day “My Baby Daddy” by B-Rock and the Biz? (Why oh WHY do I remember that?) I used to sing that song ALL THE TIME. Ugh. Why didn’t my parents just throw a shoe at me or something? LOL.
We used to listen to kiddie songs until I couldn’t take it any longer. Now I listen to relatively safe radio stations and I have my own playlist. I try to put together CDs that have upbeat Christian music. Children hardly ever like slow music and that’s all they offer for older adults on the radio. Maybe they feel after age 25 we elderly, move slow and have to listen to slow music!
We’re very careful about what we listen to, because our son is like this musical dynamo. He can catch a tune, lyric, beat or note like nobody’s business. So instrumentals and gospel is what we stick to.
We also watch Making His Band on MTV from time to time just to show him what kind of hard work he’s going to have to encounter to hone his craft and be awarded for it. We skip through all the drama (since we watch it on the internet) and go straight to the challenges for elimination. LOL
Great article, Tara! You made me feel just a tad bit old when you were talking about that song “back in the day” called “My Baby Daddy.” In 1997, when that song came out, I was a sophomore in college! Lord, have mercy! LOL
@Harriet - That song WAS back in the day. If anything, I’m showing my youth. I was…what, 12, when that song came out? Ugh.
I know, Tara…but it seems like just yesterday, doesn’t it?
I have tried to do the kids songs thing and I personally feel like I’m going to lose my mind after about three of them. Most of the time I play my ipod in the car and make sure that I’m listening to a playlist that doesn’t have anything innapropriate in it. If I’m listening to the radio I listen to gospel, jazz, or just the popular station and turn when something innapropriate comes on (which is most of the time)
Tara I was doing the same as you until they took our Jazz station away for a hispanic station (live in Chicago)!!!!! I miss it so much! The jazz station just brought such a relaxing and calming feeling to our ride. Now I must say that I slip every now & then and listen to the local urban station b/c my 11 & 3 year was a fan of Soldier Boy. I asked my 11 year old did she know what the Crank Dat song they were so in love with meant and she said no (thank god)!!! I know what we don’t won’t our kids to listen to some of the music that is played on the urban stations, but I must say I’m happy to know that my kids are clueless when it comes to the meaning of the songs!!!
No kids, but when my teen cousins hop in my ride to avoid their parents there is gospel, classical, talk radio or the latest audio book. But then they are talking or listening to their ipod nanos, so its whatever
We listen to Radio Disney when my 10 year old step-daughter is in the car. Kid friendly pop, Miley Cyrus as herself and Hannah Montana, The Jonas Brotheres, and Raven Simone (yes she has ablums), etc. Some of the songs are tolerable, but the station goes right back to NPR once she is dropped off at school.
Also in my opinion nothing Lil’Wayne or anyone on his label ever makes qualifies as “real music”.
I usually listen to talk radio, but if I’m in the mood for some music, I plug in my Zune and I choose what they listen to. I have the Disney artists they like on it so I sometimes let them choose. But the local R & B station is so not an option.
I know a lot of people that can’t do the kiddie music. We don’t listen to it on very heavy rotation, but probably about 2-3 per week. I love it, though. It’s fun!
@Tara, yes I remember that song. lol! I was in college though, and was old enough to hate it beyond belief. lol!
Harriet and Tara, I’ve got one up on BOTH of y’all!
I’m 35 now. How about when I was little (I believe about 3 years old?), I was running around the house singing that old “K.C. & The Sunshine Band” favorite, ?Shake-Shake-Shake, Shake yo booty!?
My Grandma must have yelled at me a million times about being “Sassy” and singing that song! My Mom did nothing and just laughed at me! A mess, but that was the Seventies!
I’m preggers with my 1st child and plan on using my kid-safe pre-programmed iPod as much as possible with my child. My husband and I came-of-age in the 80’s and 90’s hip-hop era, so I can’t lie! It’ll be hard to put away my Jay-Z, Nas, and old school L.L. Cool J and Run D.M.C. However, I have to remember, it’s all for a GOOD cause! I’m investing in a nice pair of earphones for myself as we speak! LMAO!
I have and teen and two six year olds. I don’t hide music from them, but I do moniter it and on occassions my teen and I will listen to the lastest music. I always make sure I tell him that this is entertainment and don’t believe all of the lyrics. Videos are off limits!
I have a 9 year old son and I absolutely hate hip hop right now. I refuse to expose my son to a world where ignorance, violence, materialism, chauvinism, sex outside of marriage, drugs and alcohol use are glorified. Therefore we listen to talk radio, old r & B, classic soul, gospel and little bit of pop music.
When I was younger, I read in an interview that gospel singer CeCe Winans didn’t allow her children to listen to anything but gospel music. I was about 12 at the time so I thought that was the dumbest thing ever and she was the most strict parent on the planet.
Fast forward 11 years and here I am doing the exact same thing. Funny how that works…
No kids, but hearing my 8yr old sister sing some of the latest songs does make me cringe. I think it’s very idealistic to think you are protecting your child by limiting their music in your presence when, I’ve found my baby sister learns all these songs from friends, after-school watch - basically not with us for the most part. I’m not saying give in, but use it as a teachable moment, I feel, to explain why the song is garbage and inappropriate…I know I do! lol…I tell her why it’s “nasty” and I’ve found no matter how young, they LOVE old school jams, so I sing that alot aroung the house - oh, and we karaoke here too! lol. Just like “As we lay”, yes it is adult-oriented, but I rather hear my sis sing that than “Birthday sex” or “Wetter” *smh*
@Jonsei - Yes, I know it’s idealistic. I wasn’t allowed to listen to any CDs with the “Parental Advisory” sticker on it when I was growing up, but I still knew all the words to Jay-Z’s “Can I Get A…?” from my friends.
When they get older, then I can use the music as a teachable moment, but at 3 and 1, they don’t get why Souljah Boy isn’t allowed on the radio….I could tell them, “Mommy doesn’t want you to listen to this,” but that’s about it…
I have 4 little ones ranging in age from 3-13. When they ride with me they get a solid dose of the hip jazz of the 50’s-70’s including Miles, Horace Silver and of course John Coltrane. I also play a lot of Cuban-Jazz, and Afro-Brazilian music, and reggae. They get all the R&B/Soul love from my wife ( her radio channels are on lock, always and forever ). But I stick to my own brand of social deprogram…I mean, exposure and celebration of our culture. We live in a suburban neighborhood and my kids are mostly exposed to Miley C and the Jonas Bros with their friends. I cannot stand that POP mess but we are entering a new global economy and it is important to be able to relate.
Only after I drop them off at school will I pull out my loc’s and lean to the side and play old school and uncensored Tupac, Nas, UGK, WC and the Maad Circle, Ice Cube etc. etc. I continue to slap down the avenue until I get 5 minutes from work when I straighten up and stop ridin dirty…
What do your kids listen to in the car? -we LISTEN to their music. Whether it be T-Pain, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce or Little Wayne and when I say we LISTEN, I do mean LISTEN.
Much of the discussion in the car after we have LISTENED to the (gawd) awful (so-called) lyrics is about - is that you? Is that your sister, your Mother?
“Daddy it just sounds good, I don’t pay attention to what their saying”
But I guess that is the point. What is the music SAYING to you? To your brother? To your sister?
Now in an effort to have full disclosure. The new Jay-Z cd is Banging!
Great question, I am 44 now, and my kids are 24, 17 and 14. I invested in XM radio after we lost our smooth jazz station here in Jacksonville. When we are in the car we either listen to smooth jazz or reggae, thats it. What I have to say next will shock some people, and make them think I am a heathan, but man do I HATE GOSPEL MUSIC!!! LOL… Can’t stand it, never could. Even when I was playing in a band for a gospel choir, I couldnt stand it, but thats another topic. My daughter is in love with the 80’s and there is a 80’s XM channell that she will listen to, and I will tolerate it from time to time. My 14 year old doesnt care one way or the other. My wife will listen to 60’s soul and R&B. But we have a rule: The driver of the vehicle is also the music maestro. So if she is driving we listen to what she wants which is fine. There is never any popular music on in the car. I coach football so when I am on my way to practice or to a game..well its a different story, out comes the Biggie, Tupac, Jay-Z, Emminem, but purely for football purposes. When practice is over, its back to the smooth jazz station, or of course I listen to Legend for the umteenth thousand time. The only real change in this is that when it gets to be November its all Christmas music all the time until January 1, I just LOVE Christmas music especially Christmas Jazz.
@ Dee
ANY kind of gospel music, or the traditional choir gospel music? LOL I mean, tell us HOW MUCH you hate it.
Seriously, they have some awesome gospel artists that don’t specialize in choir ettiquette. Kirk Whalum, Angela Christie, Allen & Allen on the jazz side, Mary Mary, Bebe and Cece Winans, Mali Music, Canton Jones on the R & B side. There’s a whole lot more out there, but that’s what gets a lot of play on our end.
Oh, for your football players and hip hop heads, Da Truth, Cross Movement, L’il Raskull is available there.
Gospel music has come a looooooooooong way.
@Dee Lecrae “Jesus Muzik” Cross Movement records.
We listen to the Disney Channel AM 910am Zaria loves Hannah Montana and the Jonas Bros.
@ Spenser and Harriett:
Thanks for the suggestions I will try to check out the groups you recommend. I think that a lot of why I have a distaste for Gospel music is two fold: 1. When i was growing up, that is all that was allowed to be listened to in my house. I was finally able to break free when I started to actually play instruments and was able to really focus on Jazz. 2. I played for a long time with a gospel choir and between the music seeming so reppetitive and non-distinct, with a theme that of course did not offer much variety (Disclaimer of course the message of the gospel is nothing but the truth, its not the Gospel or the message of the music that I dislike). Of course I think one of the biggest problems I had with Gospel music was the hypocrisy of the artist themselves that I experienced. I think that just left a really bad taste in my mouth. So I think I tend to lump all gospel music, no matter what the flawor together. Oh and there is one more thing WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SCREAMING IN GOSPEL MUSIC?????!!!!! LOL..Yea I know I am going to catch some comments from that last remark, but its just the way I feel. But I consider myself fairly open minded and will listen to the artist that have been recommended.
Thanks and be blessed.
@ Dee
I can’t tell you how hard I laughed at your comment! Being stuck listening to “old school” gospel is definitely a nightmare. LOL My parents were particular about what we listened to, but they kept it open for us. I would come home to the two of them dancing to Marvin Gaye. My pops was a huge fan of Zapp with Roger, my moms LOVED Keith Sweat. LOL
The only time I remember getting in trouble was my sophomore year of high school. My brother (a year older than me) and I brought home a CD with a cannabis leaf on the cover, and were JAMMIN…talkin’ ’bout “1, 2, 3 and to the 4…snoop doggy dogg and dr. dre is at the do’…ready to make an entrance, so back on up, cuz you know we ’bout to rip ish up.” LOL
That kinda brought the wrath of our parents down on us. I liked all kinds of music as a result of their guidance, though.
But I feel what you’re saying about lifestyles not matching the message being sung. And the screaming…I’m not down for all that, either. I really hope you enjoy some of the suggestions we made, though.
I listen to the “urban” or hip hop station especially in the mornings with my kids (two sons, 8 and 11) in the car. I do turn the station if the song is too out of control like Birthday Sex or anything by Piles. However, I feel it is important to be aware of what they are listening to so I can discuss it with them. Also, I let them know that me and their father set the proper example of how to live your life not some dude rapping on the radio. All that being said, as someone who is a young parent and grew up with rap music all my life, I love it and it is REAL music.
@ Young J
Rap music is “REAL” music? In what way?
I’m not challenging you or anything, but the rap music I grew up listening to was heads and tails better than the “music” on the radio now. I mean, there’s a STRONG underground hip hop community, but most of their stuff you have to get from the trunk of someone’s car because they sho nuff ain’t playing it on the radio.
I don’t disagree that the early days of rap offered more variety and a more positive message. However, I can enjoy Lil Wayne, Kanye, UGK, and many others because it’s fun just like any other music out there. Not to mention the beats are on point, great to take your mind away from Corporate America!
Thank you so much for this post!!
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