I was just reading Cool Mom Guide’s take on Kidz Bop, and I couldn’t agree more. Some songs just aren’t appropriate for little kids.
I had to chuckle; however, as I remembered how we dealt with my daughter’s “fabulous” music.
Last year, I complained to my friend Ann, one of the smartest moms I know, about some of the lyrics in the songs on my daughter’s Ipod.
At the time, Kayla had quite the Pop song collection, including the lovely Barbie Girl lyrics with this gem:
Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my kneesFrom Aqua Barbie Girl
My brilliant friend gave us some new music that,while not exactly typical children’s fare, gave them something else to think about.
Yes, now we drive around listening to Jonathan Coulton singing about zombies who merely want to eat your brain (Re Your Brains), geeks in Code Monkey, and the politically humorous W’s Duty. The kids, with their love of potty humor, especially love W’s Duty.
I’m so proud, my daughter has dropped the Pop for Alternative Geek Rock.
Got any more music suggestions? We’re going on another long road-trip and could use some excellent tunes. Rock on.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not much for suggestions, but I enjoy hearing new music.
Music is tough with kids. Finding music that is appropriate and is popular is a challenge. My kids are younger so I can’t really help with good music, but good luck!
Awesome! I haven’t run into that problem yet… my oldest isn’t a tween yet (and oh, how I dread those years…). I need to get some Jonathan Coulton; I’ve heard one of his songs and it made me laugh, and when I passed it on to my husband, he liked it as well, so maybe it’s something we can compromise on!
Sorry I don’t have any suggestions; we mostly end up listening to my husband’s music, and it’s all instrumental, fast drumbeats and such.
So glad my kids are older so I don’t have to worry.
My kids are older and love to listen to Christian Contemporary music like Toby Mac.
My little girl is young….so we listen to Jack Johnson and Lisa Loeb kids stuff at our house.
Jack Johnson is a great suggestion. Plus, I’ll put on the 80s or Coffee House channels on my Sirius radio.
I don’t know how old your daughter is but Groovy Ruby is a clean group. I would just take her back to the 50’s and rock out to some James Brown.
You know, my biggest problem with that Kidz Bop isn’t so much the music (well, SOME of the music) but it’s the SINGING. If my kids want to listen to a Kelly Clarkson song, I probably won’t be able to stop them. I just hope they have the good sense to listen to the orig artist instead of that horrible trash. Watch them try a Kidz Bop classic Rock edition and trash Led Zeppelin. Or Kidz Bop Opera. They can distroy Phantom. Wah.