The Music These Kids Listen To...Harumph!

True story: This is a joke that the principal told over the loudspeaker at Lindsey's school. Please note that her school is for kids in grades kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Q: How do you wake up Lady Gaga?

A: Poke her face.

Get it?

You wouldn't if you didn't know that one of Lady Gaga's top hits is the song "Poker Face."

Everyone in Lindsey's class laughed. They ALL got it. Second graders.

Have you seen Lady Gaga?

And I have to admit: I have purchased some Lady Gaga songs for Lindsey. I've listened to them and paid attention to the words, and deemed them if not exactly appropriate, at least not offensive. And I have to say I love the message of her song "Born This Way," for people to accept themselves the way they are.

I also love P!nk. She embodies all the things I love: she's a strong woman with an amazing voice, rebellious, who laughs at herself and is soft on the inside. And like Lady Gaga, I let Lindsey listen to a few of her songs.

But I didn't intend for the entire album to get downloaded to the iPod she listens to.

It's not like I purchased the P!nk album for her. I bought it for me. Which means that I bought the "explicit" version. And there are some clearly audible words that she absolutely should not be hearing.

So the other night I hear the song "Funhouse" start up on her iPod in her room, and I immediately have her turn it. I let her know that there are words and songs that she shouldn't have on there, and that I am going to re-sync her iPod. That's when she informs me that she listened to the entire thing on the drive to Tracy last weekend.

Crap. Or something a bit stronger.

Turns out the last time I synced her iPod I had the settings from syncing mine, so she got all of my songs. I've rectified that now, and have also added a few songs that I think she might like, to try to replace the ones she liked that I've now taken off her iPod.

It's time she get exposed to The Beatles. No hidden messages in "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," right?

I joke, but I love sharing music with Lindsey. She's at an age when she wants to discover new music, and I love sharing with her. Music was an integral part of my growing up years. I remember hearing Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on my new stereo and getting completely absorbed in the opening guitar solo.

I wonder if she listens to Lady Gaga and P!nk now, what will she be listening to when she gets older? Only time will tell -- all that she wants right now is a really good beat and a catchy chorus.