When I was a child, I vividly recall walking into my aunt’s kitchen one summer afternoon and overhearing a conversation between her and my mom. Both looked shocked, shaking their heads as they sipped their coffee. I listened closely as they expressed their disapproval regarding a certain pop star.
“Can you believe how inappropriate she is, performing in a wedding dress?”
“And those lyrics! I was mortified when I heard them on the radio with the kids in the car.”
They were discussing Madonna’s daring performance at the MTV Music Awards back in the ’80s. Madonna was a sensation, with her iconic style and boundary-pushing persona. As I stood there, I couldn’t understand their concerns. I didn’t even know what “virgin” meant at the time, yet I sang along with her songs at the top of my lungs. To my surprise, my mom allowed me to listen to the radio freely and even gifted me a Beastie Boys cassette that same year.
This experience shapes my approach to my own children today. In our home, music is a central part of our lives. We enjoy it during meals, while doing chores, and even during our leisure time. My husband and I have diverse musical tastes, often gravitating toward ’80s hits and country, but we also appreciate genres like jazz and rap.
Our home is filled with music, and yes, sometimes the lyrics can be explicit. My kids are familiar with tracks by Sir Mix-a-Lot and Tone Lōc, and they’ve heard me belt out iconic songs like Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” We have created cherished memories over dance parties and kitchen slow dances, and I’m confident that a few inappropriate words won’t corrupt them. When they ask about lyrics, I answer honestly.
I won’t lie; explaining “my anaconda don’t want none unless you’ve got buns, hun” was a bit awkward. However, that doesn’t mean I’ll turn off the radio when Sir Mix-a-Lot comes on. After all, he reminds me that I don’t have to worry about my waistline!
Take, for instance, the soundtrack of Hamilton: An American Musical. My kids are completely captivated by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterful lyrics and listen to it constantly. Yes, some songs contain explicit content, but the excitement and interest they’ve developed in history through this music are invaluable. They eagerly connect what they learn in school with the lyrics they know by heart. How can I ignore a few swear words when it’s helping them learn about history in such an engaging way?
So, I’m not the type of mom who cringes at songs like “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry or “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke. Instead, I dance while preparing dinner and enjoy the energy music brings to our family. The tunes my kids listen to aren’t any more shocking than those from my own childhood, and I take pride in fostering an environment where they can appreciate the rich cultural and diverse world of music.
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In summary, I believe that exposure to diverse music and its themes can be an important part of a child’s development, and as a parent, I choose not to censor their musical experiences.