My kids have been exposed to a lot of music. I pretty much always have music on in the house and in the car. I listen to a lot of different genres, including classical, which was my favorite in the car when the boys were babies, and it's still my favorite for dinnertime. I've occasionally mixed in some kid's music, some of which is actually pretty good. With the purchase of my current car a couple years ago, I got the option of playing my iPod/iPhone in the car. I cannot tell you how much I love this and how much time and money it has saved me from having to burn CDs all the time.
Anyway I digress. I created a playlist for the boys. Anytime they point out a song they like, or when I notice them requesting a song to be replayed over and over again, I add it to their list. It's an evolving mix, with songs getting deleted as they tire of them too. While I am still the driver in the car and control the music, I honestly don't mind playing this mix when requested.
This past weekend, the boys got out of bed independently, went downstairs, got their own cereal, and Aaron was able to put on their music in the kitchen using my iPhone. How awesome is that?
I wonder sometimes if, when they grow up, some of these songs or bands will remind them of when they were little. The way Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, barbershop music, and the theme song from The Muppets does for me. I also wonder if their taste in music will stray too far from mine as they get older - I hope that even if/when our music tastes diverge, we'll always be able to talk about it and appreciate it together.
Here's a peek at a selection of their playlist as it looks today...
The Way I Tend to Be - Frank Turner
Hurricane Season - Trombone Shorty
From This Valley - The Civil Wars
Mahna Mahna - Cake
Ride On / Right On - Phosphorescent
Beautiful Mess - Kasey Chambers
Emmylou - First Aid Kit
Gold on the Ceiling - The Black Keys
Paradise - Coldplay
Engine to Turn - Tift Merritt
M.T.A. - Ben Rudnick
Street Corner Preacher - Amos Lee
Backatown - Trombone Shorty
In the Morrow - Brandi Carlile
La La La La Lemon - Barenaked Ladies
That Old Black Hole - Dr. Dog
Rhthm and Soul - Spoon
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
Live and Die - The Avett Brothers
Write My Ticket - Tift Merritt
The Lion's Roar - First Aid Kit
When Emma was really little I listened to whatever I wanted without regard to the message the song was sending or the bad word count. (Hello, Lady Gaga!) Now I'm having to be more deliberate about what I listen to when she's with me.
ReplyDeleteShe's obsessed with music though, and I love that. I always wonder the same, what she'll be reminded of when she hears the music we listen to now as an adult.