Lilly Deane is a music lover by heart who loves to add music in children’s parties. She is very passionate about family relationships and talks about this at Madfun and in blogs like this one. In this article, she shares how parents can help kids in their music choices.
Music is a powerful medium. It touches people of all ages from kids to adults. For many children, music is considered an outlet. When they are sad, music is their friend that allows them to cope with their feelings. For other children, music is seen as a form of entertainment or a way for them to gain social acceptance among their peers. As their parents, it’s understandable you’re concerned about the types of music your child listens to.
Many of today’s popular songs contain lyrics pertaining to the use of alcohol and drugs, mature sexual themes and disparaging references to women. The concern with this is children may accept these things as something very normal especially when they are performed by young artists too. So how can you protect your kids from these types of music?
Tips For Music Screening And Selection
- Influence your kids early on. Don’t wait for them to discover music on their own. As early as when they are able to walk on their own or even when your kids are just babies, you should be playing the right kinds of music you want them to listen to. The ability to appreciate a certain music genre does not happen by chance. Constant exposure to a certain type of music allows the person’s ears to get used to them.
- Keep track of downloaded music. Kids can use different gadgets to play and store their favorite songs. Some of these include iPods, MP3 players and even their mobile phones. Instead of letting them listen to these on their own, tell them you also want to listen to the kinds of music they like and suggest they play these over the speaker.
- Set some rules in purchasing music online and CDs. As their parents, you are responsible in setting the house rules your children should follow. Include music guidelines in your rules. Make it a habit to shop for music together instead of allowing them buy on their own. But before you do, ask them beforehand about the songs they want to buy. The lyrics of songs can now be easily Googled online.
- Communicate with kids often. If your kids are already listening to bad music, talk to them about how you are disturbed about their preferences. But instead of the ‘drop that music or I’ll punish you’ attitude, try to communicate without attacking your kids bluntly. Many kids do not respond to outright negative comments. What you can do instead is ask them why they like it and then talk to them about the implications of hearing these types of music.
- Suggest other options. If you can’t beat them, then divert their attention. This may be hard to do since many kids nowadays would rather look up to rock band members and top popular popstars rather than listen to their own parents. However, if you strongly suggest being a great music authority by listening to good music yourself, they may see you in a different light.
- Instill values. Values will help your kids make great choices. This is not just applicable to music, but also to the other areas in their lives. The best way to do this is by being the living example they can be proud of. When they see you as the first person they should be looking up to, outside influences only come next. These include bad music and peer pressure.
Final Thoughts
Man has been listening to music for several thousands of years now. Unlike in the past where music was played in the open, headphones now make it difficult for parents to hear what their kids are listening to. If you want your kids to listen to quality music, you may need to be open to the new genres existing today. These may not be to your liking, but doing so will allow you to talk to your kids about the kinds of music they like and allow you to offer your opinion on their music choices.
I really enjoyed this article. Music can have such a huge impact on our children, either negatively or positively…it”s very powerful. Thanks again for this wonderful piece. I plan on sharing it with my siblings!
Hey Karleia
I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Listening to music can be a subtle form of programming. As parents we need to ensure our children are programmed with the right kind of music.
Gerardo