We be jammin'...wait what did you just say?

"I know you want it"

"Must wanna get nasty?"

Huh? When I heard these words come out of my 7 year old's mouth, I felt dizzy.

Then, I back tracked. Now, I know I don't listen to that song. It's got such a good beat and I feel myself wanting to bounce to it. I know her karate teachers do and they pick her up after school.

Ever been in that situation where you are getting your groove on to a certain song but you know the lyrics are totally inappropriate? As an added benefit, it's a song you know you shouldn't be listening to with your kid in the car?

The song Hummingbird was jammin' to was Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines. I mean, who could resist the nice beat that song has (I know, I mentioned that aleady). I don't mind her jammin' but I have to draw the line somewhere as the Mom. With the line drawn though, where else is there for us to travel? Today's music is so questionable.


Back in my day (yeah, I went there), all my parents had to worry about was Madonna gyrating on the floor, singing "Like a Virgin". Now that I think about it, I don't think they even worried about that. Growing up in the 80s helped to define who I am. I don't care what anyone says, the 80s put out some of the best music!

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Things are so different today. Even when you think you're doing good, you're not. Case in point, Kidz Bop. Sure, there are kids singing the songs, a few lyrics may have been changed so that the song seems more kid friendly. But when you strip it down, it's the same song with the same meaning. The lyrics used in music today just lay it all out there:

• From Nicki Minaji's Starships: "Jump in my hoopty hoopty hoop, I own that. And I ain't paying my rent this month, I owe that. But f**** who you want, and f*** who you like, dance our life, there's no end in sight. Twinkle, twinkle, little star." 
• How about Beyonce's Single Ladies: "If you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it" Exactly, what is "it"? Is it any better that one of Hummingbird's favorite movies, Alvin and the Chipmunks, has the Chippettes singing this song? Then, who can forget Beyonce's video, with all of the booty poppin'? Beyonce is a beautiful woman and I admire the things that she's done but not sure about the message of some of her songs. Wonder if things will be different now that she has a daughter?
• Here's one that, again, I bounce to, it has a good beat. But, man, those lyrics, YIKES! Daft Punk featuring Pharrell, Get Lucky: "She's up all night to til the sun, I'm up all night to set some. We're up all night for good fun, I'm up all night to get lucky".Of course, kids in their innocence, probably believe that "getting lucky" is a good thing, like finding all kinds of treasures cause they are staying up all night. 
• Former Disney star, Selena Gomez: "If you're ready, come and get it." Again, what exactly is this "it" she's inviting everybody to come and get? I will not even recognize her Disney counterpart, Miley Cyrus with her "We Can't Stop". 

There are many more snippets from many more songs that I could post up here, but I think you get my point. I'll say it again, many of these songs have great beats that make you wanna get up and move a lil something. That moving a lil something  works for me cause I am an adult. I don't want my 7 year old moving anything like these songs are telling her to do. These folks are out to do one thing and that is to make money selling their music. Catchy phrases, good beats, hot bodies sell music, kids just happen to be caught in the middle of all that. I am not knocking that this is their way of supporting themselves, not knocking freedom of speech. I am, however, knocking any parent that listens to this type of music with their kids and are surprised at certain words or body movements their child is saying or doing. Alright, so it's not my job to judge anyone's parenting style. But it ticks me off when I invest in my kids and they get influenced by somebody else's kid, when they haven't made the same investment. Yes, that influence ticks me off but it can still turn out good because my kids get the opportunity to withstand it. Or my kids could feed right into the bad influence, I know mine are not perfect.

Now, I am not saying we should just listen to christian music all the time (before you go there, I have christian music on my Spotify and Itunes lists). I like a good mix of music genres. I am, also, not saying that we should stop listening to music, just cut it out like the town in Footloose cut out dancing. What I am saying is that I am more of aware that there are songs I should not to listen while Hummingbird is in the car with me or if we are at home (I play music all of the time, when I am cleaning, working out, just sitting at my laptop, at work at my desk, everywhere). As her parent, that is part of my responsibility. Yes, in due time she will hear worse than some of the lyrics I mentioned above. I would like the opportunity to explain these things to her, ok, I may sound a little naive.

So, what are your small kids listening to? Seriously, I am looking for suggestions on the types of music young kids (ages 4 to 10) are listening to. I picked those ages because before 4, they are still kinda into Disney Jr. type music. After 10, they're getting into popular music (maybe sooner). What are you both bouncing (do kids still say that?) to in the car?