How Closely Do You Monitor Your Tots' Music?

Do You Monitor the Music Your Tots Hear?

June 8, 2009

There's nothing better than a concert in the car and having kiddos doesn't change that, but many mamas switch the tunes they blast as tots grow old enough to understand the lyrics. Gwyneth Paltrow recently told Conan O'Brien that her lil sensitive thug Moses, 3, chills out to Jay-Z's "99 Problems," quickly adding that the song may not be all that appropriate. Do you turn the dial or let your youngsters rock and roll regardless of lyrics?

11 Comments

RubyMoon 3 years 47 weeks

Since the day my son was born, (he's almost 3 now), I've completely stopped listening to music when he's around me. I do turn on very light adult contemporary or ethnic(bollywood, bhangra) melody type tunes very rarely occasionally. Jack Johnson, Colbie Cailet,Gin Blossoms, Enrique, Gin Blossoms, even, but I do this very very rarely. I realize I am so out of touch with what's in, top 40 etc. I used to be a music lover, always had to have something on. Not anymore. One of the reasons I changed is because of the theory of sound and the effects on the human brain. Music creates certain theta waves that can alter your natural brain waves. It can affect you negatively or positvely. Even music from such professional singers like Madonna has been known to alter brain waves negatively. Because even if the pattern of the popular song sounds "happy". Its beats and sounds may be having a negative effect on the brain. This theory has been studied for years, but is not well known, if it was, I'm sure Madonna along with all the other great musicians work on their music.....maybe. So, I still love music, and I listen to music everyday I work out on my mp3 player. But my child doesn't need to listen to that stuff. On the other hand, he gets alot of music from TV. Sesame Street, Thomas, Bob the Builder, Handy Manny, you name it. I try to limit that as much as I can, one way is to let him watch more PBS, less Nick and Disney, which are way more music oriented than PBS. PBS, has shows like Curious George, which is more story based rather than song based.Well, thats my two cents worth!

RubyMoon 3 years 47 weeks

POPSUGAR Fitness 3 years 49 weeks

I buy the cleaned up versions of songs on iTunes. But my little ones love "Single Ladies" as well as the Sound of Music soundtrack.

babysugar 3 years 49 weeks

Lilsugar - that was hilarious. I don't think any of us understood those lyrics until much later in life. Noway your kids would have gotten the hidden meanings of that one. As for your others... who knows! :)

ManiMartinixo 3 years 49 weeks

My mother didn't let me listen to anything but radio disney until i was about 11. I thought it was cruel and unusual punishment since all my friends knew the real words to the songs and picked on me for it. But I understand why she did it and appreciate her "defending my youth".

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 49 weeks

its laziness not to monitor what your child is listening to, You may not realize what the lyrics are but they will and its up to you to be proactive in that area.

POPSUGAR Moms 3 years 49 weeks

My kids love all kinds of music, but funnily enough I listen to lots of songs and don't necessarily know the lyrics word for word. The other day I was telling babysugar about a certain tune we should add to her summer playlist post and didn't realize how inappropriate the song was until she printed the words out for me. My kids have probably gotten an (unintentional) earful!

MaggieLei 3 years 49 weeks

It's not the music that I necessarily censor, but I wouldn't let my child watch the videos. There are so many bad visual messages in the videos.

Chouette4u 3 years 49 weeks

As long as the swear word's aren't TOO prominent, I don't mind. For example, I would never let my daughter listen to "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails. When they're a bit older, I think it's more important to pay attention to the message or story in songs. I think that even the clean "Sensual Seduction" version of "Sexual Eruption" by Snoop Dogg would be inappropriate for a VERY long time.

backfat 3 years 49 weeks

Really I don't mind swearing in music or television unless it's excessive and it depends what they're saying. If it's just swear words used as intensifiers, I'm not upset. It's different than using swear words to describe someone's mother, for instance.

sham28 3 years 49 weeks

Maybe a third option for "it depends on age and category of inappropriateness"? The three year old probably can't decipher "b*tch" in 99 Problems(especially considering toddlers tend to substitute in words that they are more familiar with). I know a three year old who thinks Rihanna's "Live your life" chorus is really "Olivia life" like her name. Hard to say though, no one wants to be the parent of the kid that blurts out "b*tch" in playgroup.

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