"Inappropriate" music

[trumansmom]

At what age do you really start to censor what music your kids hear? The other day I was cleaning house and listening to the Black Eyed Peas. DS and I had a blast dancing around dusting. (Something he doesn't see me do too often!) But then I started listening to the words and wondered if I shouldn't be playing this around him. Ever since he's been begging for that "dance one", but I've been hesitant to put it on.

What would you do?

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/29/01 and Eleanor 4/14/04

[lukkykatt]

When my children were old enough to talk (about 2) was the time that I censored what music (and also the talk radio) I played. I thought that was the age that they could start to put everything together. I don't know if this was the "right" age or not, but it seems to have worked out fine.

DH is a huge music lover and gets the clean versions of alot of cd's so that he can listen to them without worrying.

[raynjen]

LOL! We have a "dance music, mommy" CD too that I bust out when I am cleaning (Shania Twain, Come On Over). I 'hear' more of the lyrics these days than I used to.

We live in Okinawa and we only have two English radio stations and one of those is 90% sports - yuck, so we don't get to 'flip' channels. I am really looking forward to moving back to the states and having my new car with an XM radio in it!

The other day we hear some rap song about "I like it when you are on your kneew with my hands around your neck" ! !! Yikes, during the middle of the day on a Saturday no less! You would think, since we only have one music station, that they could play that kind of stuff at night after the kiddos are in bed.

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who is almost three, Noelle!

[mamahill]

I was waiting for some responses because I'm in the same boat. Ainsleigh loves to dance, but a lot of our music, while not downright offensive, isn't what I want my toddler mimicking. Oh, and she LOVES the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, but hearing it with a mother's ears is VASTLY different than hearing it from an adult's ears. We try to make sure she doesn't listen to music that has eyebrow-raising lyrics, and the same with talk radio.

My big gripe right now is with commercials, and especially those for movies. Some of those horror/violent ones should NOT be shown before 8pm, IMO. They're scary to ME! If they come on (during Jeopardy or something!), we turn the channel, or turn it off. It really bothers me (and don't EVEN get me started on people who would rather pay for a movie ticket for their kid to see a scary/suspenseful movie than get a babysitter -- that is my BIGGEST parenting pet peeve right now). Whoa, sorry for the side-track!

[Jeanmick]

It's interesting that you posted this question. I was wondering about this myself. I recently saw a commercial for "Kids Bop (whatever number)." Anyway, it's a compilation of current song covered by children singing. As I was listening to the samples, I noticed that the children were singing the exact lyrics that the original artists (i.e., Britney, Christina, Black Eyed Peas, etc.) would sing. As a parent who also wonders about the lyrics, I question the advantage of buying these covers versus having my child listen to the original song if the lyrics were exactly the same. Does anyone own one of these CDs? And if so, what's your take on them? Hum...

To answer your question, I guess it would be as soon as a child begins to have any understanding of what's being said, begin to question it and can repeat it. For my DD, it was about age 2 to 2 1/2. She would ask (and still to this day) "Why did they say that?" or "Why did she do that?" I've often heard her repeat things I had no idea she was listening to, so needless to say, we monitor what we listen to or say in the van these days. :)

[Sarah1]

>don't EVEN get me started on people who would rather pay for a movie ticket for their kid to see a scary/suspenseful movie than get a babysitter -- that is my BIGGEST parenting pet peeve right now).

Mine too!

As for the music, we rarely listen to "adult" music. I almost always play kids' music. It's not really a choice I make consciously...she likes "her" music (i.e. Wiggles, Raffi).

[redhookmom]

I have not listed to my music in a loooong time. I hosted a Mom's night out a while ago and blew some dust of a few cds... I LOVE children's music and feel like I have a limited amount of time to enjoy it with my kids so it pretty much all I listen to. Dan Zanes is in right now.

Back to your question, I censor what is on the tv. I never really thought about the disturbing images until I came into the living room and Law and Order was entertaining my 2 year old. I would censor music in the same way, they do retain some lyrics and I don't want to start that schema yet!