OK, am I being a prude here?

[autumnpalm]

I'm not a parent but I would not let a seven year old listen to Ke$ha. I absolutely don't see anything wrong with a a parent placing limits on what sorts of music their child can download. There are a lot of questionable things out there and I know that when I have kids, I cannot control everything they do or listen to, but I do believe in setting standards.

You sound like a great mom!

 

[MinnieMe87]

She likes the song & all the 'offensiveness' in it is way over her head I downloaded it for my daughter who's 10. I hear sing along with made up words and ,no, I don't correct her.

I used to listen to 2 Live Crew with my aunt when I was about 6ish. I knew ALL of the words to every song and sang them in the car with her. I had NO idea what any of it meant, but my family sure got a kick out of me singing some of those songs!

OP, it's your house, your rules. I think you're doing just fine telling her she can't download it.

 

[MouseLover]

What's wrong with that? I'm right there with you.

I don't like my 13yo listening to that trash. I know she hears it on the radio and with friends and I don't "forbid" her to listen to it. BUT I told her I better never hear those lyrics coming out of her mouth and I refuse to buy it. I never caught the reference to "Jack" until my dd told it to me.

It seems that in order to have a hit song you have to be singing lyrics littered with foul language and sex-talk.

I would NOT allow my 7yo to listen to this music.

 

[tmarquez]

My kids have heard it enough on the radio to know the words even my 4yr old son. Honestly I'm not going to listen to the wiggles in the car til they are 18 :

Ok I have a confession to make. My DD is 7 now and wouldn't be caught dead listening to the Wiggles...but I still have them on my Ipod and secretly listen every once in awhile.

Now back to the topic. DD has the song the OP is talking about downloaded, she doesn't really understand what all the lyrics mean...to her it's just a catchy song. But OP...it's your kid and you're not a prude if you don't want her to download it. If that's your choice, stick to your guns and you're doing the right thing.

Now if anyone wants a laugh, go to youtube and search for the parody of this song (include the word "glitter" in your search)...it's really funny.

 

[MEK]

I just listened to the song to see what all the fuss is about. Pathetic song. Over processed voice and artificial instruments. Not even a decent melody. Just pathetic what people call music. Oh...and content....very questionable.

But to answer the OP....if you are uncomfortable with a 7 year old listening to that crap then just say NO. You are not being a prude or overprotective. You most certainly have a right to censor that music and any parent should back you.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

My nearly 9 year old loves that song. My DH downloaded.

I don't care but that is just my style. I rolled around on the floor Madonna style to Like a Virgin and belted out Little Red Corvette when I was that age and turned into an upstanding citizen.

You have changed my mind...I was going to say 7 is too young for Ke$ha. I cringe that my girls like her (DD16 and DD is 15 today ). But I was 9 when Madonna came out and I was obsessed with her. I didn't even know what a virgin was, and went around the house singing it constantly (I'm sure my dad was real comfortable with that!) Oh, and She Bop....I just found out what that song meant about 4 years ago! I haven't read the whole thread, but it the OPs daughter has access to a radio, that song is being played to death. I'm not saying compromise your principles...but realistically, she's already heard it and knows the words (I'm assuming). Maybe you could go over the lyrics with her and explain why you are uncomfortable. Heck, she might not know what a "bottle of Jack" means. I know I wouldn't have at that age. That might take some of the forbiddeness out of it. Oh, I just saw that several people suggested the clean version and that would be a good compromise, but I certainly don't blame you for taking a stand. Esp a 7 year old. Your house, your rules! Go mom!

 

[JerseyJanice]

I don't think you're a prude, but at that age, suggestive lyrics usually go over their heads.

Years ago when Madonna had a hit with "Papa, Don't Breach," my niece thought she was singing, "Tropical Beach."

 

[Colleen27]

Music isn't a battle I fight, but I might if my kids were interested in some of the songs mentioned on this thread. Thankfully, I had to Google just to see what the fuss is about. My kids are more into rock and country with a little bit of Miley Cyrus/Taylor Swift type girl-pop thrown in for my 8yo, and while the lyrics aren't squeaky-clean they aren't bad enough that I want to censor them either (and it doesn't hurt that we have pretty similar tastes - I think I'm more tolerant of music I enjoy ).

I don't think you're a prude at all for not wanting your young child listening to that garbage.

 

[skater]

I think you're doing the right thing. If the lyrics go over her head at 7, does that mean when she's old enough to understand them, you can tell her no to it? Once you say yes to something, its hard to back out of it later. I have tried to save things for my DD so that she hasn't done so much at a young age that there's "nothing" left. So far its working, though the pressure of other kids can be difficult.

 

[agnes!]

This song is:
A piece of autotuned junk, from a musical standpoint,
and that lyrically it's all about partying, getting drunk, and waking up the next day not knowing where you are... and somehow that's cool/fun...
it's one of the most shallow, materialistic, stupid songs i've ever heard in my life... and everything else that Ke$ha does is on the same level of emptiness...


I'm back -
You're right OP, stand your ground .
agnes!

 

[Colleen27]

I think you're doing the right thing. If the lyrics go over her head at 7, does that mean when she's old enough to understand them, you can tell her no to it? Once you say yes to something, its hard to back out of it later.

I think with music/movies, things tend to be outgrown so quickly that it doesn't come into play. I had no idea what some of the music I was listening to meant (like others have mentioned, the Madonna era) and even in some of my favorite movies there were things that went over my head (I was in high school before I understood the abortion storyline in Dirty Dancing, even though I saw the movie hundreds of times in elem & middle school). By the time I did understand what "Papa Don't Preach" was about, I'd long since moved on to Pearl Jam and Nirvana.

No one is going to be listening to Tik Toc in a year, much like 5 years from now when today's 7yos start to comprehend the lyrics. This crap just doesn't have that kind of staying power.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I just downloaded it for DS9. He makes up 1/2 the words, and has been told if he says any "cuss" words that are in any of the songs I download for him (one of the Black Eyed Peas songs he wanted has "poop" in it) then the songs will be deleted from his Ipod.

 

[skater]

Here's the other thing. Why do we need to let little kids listen to junk when tehre's so much quality stuff to hear? Its just not necessary. Now, I know that they will hear it with friends, etc., but that doesn't mean you have to let them have access to it all the time. Do you let your kids eat candy bars anytime they want? So, why would it be OK to have a steady diet of junk gonig into their brains? Our kids are worth so much more than that.

 

[TeresaNJ]

No, OP, I don't think you are a prude, and I admire that you are being a responsible parent, rather than friend, which so many parents today strive to be, taking the much easier road.

 

[themilesfamily]

I'm beginning to feel like I can't get away from that song!

My DD's two friends played it for her on Youtube and now it's one of her favorite songs. I listened to it and heard the references to a "bottle of Jack", etc. DD is too young to understand them. I think she just likes the song because it has a catchy tune and a "beat you can dance to."

THEN I saw the song advertised on a CD compilation marketed specifically to kids. And THEN I took my DD to her cheerleading "prom" last night and that was one of the songs they played.

So it's certainly popular.

I'm not going to outlaw it or not let her listen to it. I'm just going to continue exposing her to all kinds of music. When we're in my car we listen to classical music and jazz. DD has come to love jazz. My DH plays the Beatles and a lot of Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly in his vehicle. So I feel pretty good that she's hearing a wider variety of music -- not just what her friends like.

On a side note, I remember when I was about 13 and my mother saw Boy George on MTV for the first time. She cried and then went on for days about what this society is coming to. So we're not the first parents to deal with this dismay over music.

 

[horseshowmom]

Here's the other thing. Why do we need to let little kids listen to junk when tehre's so much quality stuff to hear? Its just not necessary. Now, I know that they will hear it with friends, etc., but that doesn't mean you have to let them have access to it all the time. Do you let your kids eat candy bars anytime they want? So, why would it be OK to have a steady diet of junk gonig into their brains? Our kids are worth so much more than that.

I've got to agree. My daughter didn't listen to that kind of stuff. In fact, at that age she was busy playing. Wanting any specific music was not high on her list.

No, OP, I don't think you are a prude, and I admire that you are being a responsible parent, rather than friend, which so many parents today strive to be, taking the much easier road.

I'm with you.

 

[Rora]

Not prude at all. I won't let 10 year olds listen to that!!

 

[Wishing on a star]

IMHO....

Nope, not prude at all....

I would have to question anybody who had a problem with censoring (music, food, activities, bedtime, or anything else.) for a seven year old....

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, I can't really say whether or not you're being a prude. But if you don't think she should listen to it, then that's your call. You're the mom.

On the other hand, she probably just likes the sound of it. I'm 38 and didn't really GET until a couple years ago what a lot of the songs I liked when I was younger were really about.. everything from the entire soundtrack of Grease to Night Moves by Bob Seger and Stay the Night by Chicago.

I agree with both paragraphs!

Can't even tell you the misunderstandings I had about songs and even TV shows...I was a horrible sleeper and was watching Saturday Night Live when it debuted (I was 5)...i remember in whatever year Eddie Murphy was on, he had a "how to be a __" (two letter word that Santa says for a VERY different reason) skit...I thought it was hilarious! My mom finally asked me what I thought was so funny, because she knew I didn't understand, and while I don't remember my reasoning now, back then I had this whole thing made up for what he was talking about. Made sense to me and it was funny! Mom did NOT clue me in, and years later I was embarrassed in retrospect.

On a side note, I remember when I was about 13 and my mother saw Boy George on MTV for the first time. She cried and then went on for days about what this society is coming to. So we're not the first parents to deal with this dismay over music.

And before that, parents were dismayed over the floppy haired Beatles, before that it was Elvis, on back...I remember reading an article that stated that Beethoven was quite rebellious for the time, and people felt that his concerts were a bad influence!

Time immemorial....


Ds is so lucky b/c I actually don't mind Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, and actually quite like the Jonas Brothers, and those are the things he likes to listen to (and watch) so it's all good, LOL.

Of course, I don't listen to the radio in the car that often; we have the Empire Strikes Back CD in the player and we're generally hearing Darth's theme while driving!

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

Not a prude at all. I am 16 and can't imagine a 7 year old to be listening to that
At 7 I was listening to Hilary Duff and stuff