One of my Facebook friends posted today that she walked past her 15-year-old daughter's room, heard the music coming out of the speakers from her daughter's iPod, and "couldn't believe the words" she heard. She sent up a prayer and a confession: "Lord, Jesus, please help our kids." Sadly, music's just not music anymore.
Remember when the whole family used to listen to the classic sounds of the Temptations, Supremes, Spinners, O'Jays, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind & Fire. . .the list goes on and on. The lyrics were clean and the messages were either about love, having fun or changing the world. With a few exceptions, saying that today's music is "not family friendly" is a gross understatement. Much of it is garbage and if parents knew what they're children were listening to, the hairs on the backs of their necks would stand up.
Parents need to get more involved early on. They can't wait until the teen years to monitor their children's music and set guidelines. My daughter received an iPod for her 10th birthday. She is now 14. Since she got the device, we have a rule that I have to approve EVERY song that is downloaded to it. Since we purchase the songs for 99 cents and I'm paying for them, she has to adhere to the rules.
Once she upgrades to an iPOD Nano, the rules will still apply. I refuse to pay for garbage and filth going into my daughter's ears. No songs labeled "explicit" are approved, but I try to be somewhat flexible with the rap music. I still have to see written lyrics first. Fortunately, my daughter was brought up on old school music so half the songs on her iPod are old school and she has a real appreciation for good music.
I'm not naive (since I was 14 once upon a time) and I know that my daughter listens to music on her own. But since she was raised with musical standards and guidelines, she is less likely to stray from them. We have good lines of communication and she tells me a lot of the rap music is about sexual exploits, private parts, demeaning to women, etc. Remember: Train up a child. . .
The music industry tries to blame the victim, saying that parents need to be responsible. And this is true. But they know that about 80% of the market for music is between 12 and 25 years of age. They know this garbage is being listened to by children. They just don't care because they're "making money."
Parents: Beware, be involved, be informed, be vigilant. . .be blessed.
Great point! You know I am a firm advocate in parental and personal resposibility.
ReplyDeleteI concur but it is also my opinion that our chickens have come home to roost. We are currently experiencing a second or perhaps third generation of “babies raising babies” that more often than not we are dealing with homes where there are no parenting skills being practiced because they have never been modeled.
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