When I was a little girl, I used to love the song Afternoon Delight. And when it came on the radio I would sing along. Although, I just googled the lyrics and I had a lot of them wrong. My parents never said anything to me. They let me sing. Clearly, I had no idea what the song was talking about.
Rubbin’ sticks and stones together makes the sparks ignite and the thought of rubbin’ you is getting so exciting.
When I got older I started listening to my own kind of music, not what my parents had on the radio when we were in the car. The Beastie Boys were a favorite of mine, as were LL Cool J, Tone Loc, Madonna and a myriad of others. I then knew what the songs were talking about and still my parents never said a word. They would let me watch MTV when I got home from school. They never told me not to listen to something. I can’t think of even one time either of them told me I couldn’t listen to something.
I have a 13 year old. Her daddy raised her on Devo, The Beastie Boys, and Rush and Jimmy Hendrix. I introduced her to Country and silly pop songs that her dad can’t stand. We both introduced her to The Beatles, The Mama’s and the Papa’s and others I can’t think of right now.
But lately, I have noticed that she has been listening to songs I am not too sure I want her listening to. It started last year when she was singing a Katy Perry song about kissing a boy and liking it. Then she was singing a Brittney Spears song where she was wondering if you seek Amy, but it didn’t sound like that was what she was wondering. She loves her some Lady GaGa.
So the other day in the car, I decide that she needs to listen to something different. I pull out my Simon and Garfunkle CD. Her favorite song? Cecilia!
Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia up in my bedroom. I got up to wash my face when I come back to bed someone’s taken my place.
THAT is the song that she likes.
I am torn. Do I say something? Do I not? My parents didn’t say anything and I turned out just fine. Should I follow their lead? I try to think back when I was her age and listening to what I was listening to.
I can handle the whole autism thing. I can juggle a job and meetings at the school and doctor appointments with the help of my husband.
But this music thing – it’s got me stumped!
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Hi Mrs. Coleman, Caitlin Aschbrenner here. My parents used to listen to country music all the time, but then they saw that my sisters and I could sing along to every one of them and that is what we would grow up thinking the world was like. My parents decided that we would only listen to God-honoring music. Now we listen to a local station that plays only Christian songs. I think my parents made the right decision.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest that you talk it over with Courtney. Tell her what you don't like about the music she listens to, and ask her if she would mind listening to other music.
Here are some artists who I think she would like:
Barlowgirl
Jonny Diaz
Britt Nicole
Mandisa
TobyMac - (I love his song "City on Our Knees":-)
Thanks, Miss Caitlin. I really appreciate your imput and I know your parents are very proud of you!
ReplyDeleteMelissa
Well, just remember that you asked and that this will go in the face of this world. God says that we are to keep our minds from evil. Now I will be the first to admit that I didn't live according to those words when I was growing up. I had the weird reasoning that God was only for Sundays. But what hypocrites we are when we are only Sunday morning Christians and don't believe that we should live our lives for Him 24/7. The music thing became an issue for me when one of my friends mentioned that she was struggling with what she listened to on the radio with her kids around. My first thought was that she was insane. It's Country music! Not that other stuff. But then I really started listening to the lyrics and what I was exposing my children to. I wouldn't let them watch an R rated movie, why would I let them listen to an R rated song (and some of them are X-rated!). It was hard at first. I loved Country music, and I still had a lot of other favorite music from my teenage years. I switched to listening to classical music, which was what Caitlin was learning to play anyways. Then a few years ago when we moved back to the States, Caitlin joined our church's Praise band and I learned about Christian Pop music. There is just about any genre of music that is Christian from Rap to Heavy Metal. Some people will argue about that, but if the lyrics that are committed to your heart and mind are God's Word, then what difference does it make what type it is?
ReplyDeleteAnyways, back to Courtney. You may or may not end up agreeing with me and the choices that we've made. But I challenge you to really think about your beliefs in God, what He has to say, and how you want to thank Him for what He has done for you by how you live your life. This isn't about how you were or weren't raised, but what you believe NOW. It's also not about being perfect because there is only One Who is perfect, but about living out your faith.
Melissa - Sarah Rippy here - I was in the same boat as you - singing along to all sorts of things that my mother was clueless about. Finally I got to the point where I realized what the song was about and would turn the station rather than have my mother hear those lyrics. There are *still* songs that I'm "discovering" the meaning too, and I laugh. I turned out fine, and if I'm not "fine" then it's certainly not because of the music lyrics I've listened to.
ReplyDelete