Music and My Kids

Part three in the series "Music Mondays in May" from my blog group

Homesteaders & Homeschoolers.

I  try to listen to music more than have the television on in my house.

I want my kids to have the background noise of lyrics, melody, and toe tappin' beats instead of dialogue, infomercials, and all of that other tv crap in their heads.

I like music that has a story to tell.

While listening to the lyrics, you get a piece out of the story that's being told that you can carry around with you. 

My kids listen to a variety of music because of me.

And because of them, I listen to artists that I didn't think I would (isn't that the case with all parents?)

When my girls were really young we would pop in Dan Zanes and bop away in the kitchen or in the car.

His style is so eclectic, he mixes traditional themes with international tones and we just love him.  

I like having my girls listen to a song arranged for the 21st century, but whose lyrics are decades upon decades old.

Think of a Woody Guthrie song played with a trombone and a congo drum. 
That's Dan Zanes.

As they have gotten older (yes, the whopping ages of 8 and 4) we are listening to more and more mainstream stuff.

Katy Perry, Adele, Bridgit Mendler, Zac Brown Band, Florence and the Machine.

I also throw on the classical music channel on the kitchen radio everyday.

I recently had Zoe sit quietly and really listen to Jeff Buckley sing Hallelujah.

To hear his first breath and to amaze at the way his voice just floats.

And we listen to traditional Irish music in the Chieftains.

And to a slighting different extent, The Pogues.

Zoe and Gigi get a real kick out of listening to our friend Lincoln's album, Murderize, that we have on our iPod.  

I've known his wife Tina (Hey T Sapp!!) since 1989 (she's one of my besties!) and our kids are great friends.

They LOVE it that someone they know has an album out!

Of course I'm sure they don't use the word "album" because they have no idea what an album is and that's just what I say.

Sigh...isn't that sad?

When we are playing his songs they just belt out "IT'S LINCOLN SINGING!  YAAAAAY!" 

One of my greatest joys, though, is when I'm playing a Steve Earle CD and Gigi is singing along to "Sparkle and Shine" ...it's one of her favorite songs.

Or when Lyle Lovett's voice is wafting through the rooms of our house and Zoe is quietly singing along to "If I Had a Boat" just because it's about a pony.

Music is a very important part of my life.

And I want it to be a very important aspect of my kids' lives.

I hope that they can appreciate every form that's out there.

The old stuff as well as the new stuff.

They listen to The Beatles, Mozart, Amy Winehouse, and One Direction. 

I want well rounded musical kids.

And one day I hope to hear Zoe playing a Patsy Cline song on the piano.

With Gigi singing along...

Check out these other Music on Monday posts...
Carla
Melissa
Laura