Music for Kids that Won't Drive you Insane

It happens almost every morning when I'm driving the little guy to daycare. I'm listening to my morning radio show, being a good adult and catching up on my current events, until I'm suddenly interrupted.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah buddy, what's up", I nervously ask, knowing what's coming next.

"Daddy, I wanna hear Elmo"

I try to misdirect, "How about you play with your Alphabet Apple"

But he stubbornly requests, "Please let me listen to Elmo!"

I eventually yield and pop in the CD and I'm forced to subject myself to Elmo's high pitched voice as he sings about ducks, rainbows and lollipops. Now, don't get wrong: I don't necessarily hate Elmo or really any kind of kiddie music. The music is clean, the lyrics are simple and  usually educational  and most kids can't get enough. The problem for me is, between his favorite TV shows, DVDs and CDs, after a while, it gets to be a little mind numbing.

Poor bastard listened to too much Barney

Luckily for us, there are musicians out there who understand the parent's plight and have answered our call to create music that's clean and kids love, yet at the same time can be enjoyed by adults. It's cool because while I do have him listen to some of my favorite music from time to time, I didn't want to give up on his genre all together. Here are a few suggestions that helped us find middle ground:


1. The Aquabats

The Aquabats is a band based out of California who specialize in Rock n' Roll music for kids. From their superhero costumes, to their fun lyrics to awesome guitar play and cool names like Eagle "Bones" Falconhawk, these guys are sure to get both the kids and their parents on thier feet rocking out. I've been a fan since I saw them perform on Yo Gabba Gabba (another show with great music). They now have their own show on the HUB channel, and I highly encourage you to check it out.

 

 2. The Laurie Berkner Band

My son and I were first introduced to Ms. Berkner through a Nick Jr show called "Jack's Big Music Show". She and her band would regularly perform in music videos on the show that were very entertaining. Ever since, we've been hooked. Laurie, with her high energy, bubbly voice, leads with an acoustic guitar and is backed up by electric bass, electric guitar and a variety of other instruments, depending on the song. Their music very catchy and the lyrics are fun and easy for my toddler to sing along with. Any Laurie Berkner CD is a must have for your music collection.

I also recommend that if you're a smartphone user, to pick up the LBB Mobile App. Available for Android and iPhone, you can access their database and listen to most of their songs. There is also an option to view info regarding tours and other cool updates.

 

3. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo


I'm a fan of hip hop. Unfortunately, most of what's currently out on the market isn't fit for young children.  Luckily, there are artist out there like Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. Originally earning his hip hip stripes by touring with legends such as Run DMC and Mos Def, Skidoo began creating music geared specifically towards children, earning the moniker, "King of Kid-Hop". What I especially like isn't just that fact the he is a legitimate rapper, but the music is both fun to dance to and the lyrics simultaneously promote a number of positive messages. Case in point:

4. Lullaby CD by Jewel

Our family does alot of traveling between our in-laws who live on average 3-4 hours in opposite directions from our hometown. Mix that with a toddler who gets ansty after about 25 minutes in the car and your setting yourself up for a long drive. A very long drive. The soothing voice and melodic guitar play from Jewel's Lullaby album sets a tone of relaxation for our drives. We seriously don't leave the house on long trips without it.

So there you have it folks, those are my family's favorites. But as always, there are many other options for every individual family dynamic. With that being said, I'd like to hear from you: What types of music does your child like to listen to? Do you as a parent enjoy the music as well?

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Addressing A Common Fatherhood Fear (Part 2), Do I have what it akes to be a good father?

(Note: This is part 2 of a series addressing common fatherhood fears and ways to manage)

Check out Part 1 and Part 3

I spoke about the day I found out I was having my son in the first part of this series, and my initial feelings of anxiety. Part of this fear stemmed from the fact that I was in my early twenties and with the exception of my little sister (who is 12 years my junior), I really had no experience with babies.  Considering all of that my thought process at the time was, how in the heck was I supposed to be a good enough  father to my future child? Similar to this guy:

First and foremost, the fact that you care enough that you’re worried about whether you will be a good dad is a great thing.  It means that you already possess the special quality that every respectable dad has: The ability to look beyond yourself for the sake of someone else.  With that being said, the following are things that helped me overcome this fear and may benefit you as well.

1. Educate Yourself

As the saying goes, we fear what we don’t understand. Most guys have no idea how the whole pregnancy thing works, and that mystery is what makes it so scary (or at least that’s how it was for me).  What you can do to get rid of some of that uncertainty is education.  Check out your local library or bookstore and pick up some pregnancy books.  One of the most popular (and most helpful, in my opinion) is the book, “What to expect when you’re expecting”. It is a comprehensive guide of what goes on in a pregnant woman’s body from week 1 to week 40. Going through these types of books will help you better understand the whys, how's and WTFs of the entire process, which will better prepare you for what’s to come.

 Another tool that helped me through the gestation period is the “Laugh and Learn” DVD. It’s basically a virtual childbirth class that you can take whenever your schedule allows. I found it very helpful, hilariously informative and the things I learned from that DVD absolutely helped me be a stronger support system for April when she went into labor.

By using these materials to help understand what you will be facing, you can effectively unveil that proverbial, “man behind the curtain”, and better prepare you to take that next step into fatherhood.

2. Find a support group or speak with an experienced parent

For those who can, I suggest you try to get in touch with a friend or family member you know that has a child. By doing this, you can get valuable inside information on what it's like raising kids. Ask them questions about what they did to prepare and how they are currently managing.  Also if possible, take the time to interact with their children, especially if they are still and infant or toddler. There is nothing like hands on practice to get you comfortable with the idea of having a baby of your own.

For those who don't have the benefit of friends or family with children, getting together with a support group is a great way to learn about parenthood. Like the saying goes, there is strength in numbers. Typically the members of such groups consist of dads who pool their resources in order to help each other by providing information based on their individual experiences as well as solutions to the challenges they faced. Here is a link to the Global Father Support Group. I encourage everyone to check out the list and reach out the a group near your area.

If there isn't a group in your area, why not start one of your own? Having experience isn't necessarily a requirement. Even if you're in a group of new dads who know nothing about child rearing, talking to each other about what you're going through will do nothing but help

Question: Have you ever felt like you weren't good enough to be a dad? What did you do to overcome that fear?


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Happy Birthday Dr Seuss!

I love Dr Seuss. His books made reading fun for me as a kid, which has since developed into a lifelong interest. Now as a father, I think it's special that I get to share those same stories with my child. Thank you, Dr Seuss for that gift.

Here's an link with some interesting facts about Dr Seuss

What were your favorite Dr Seuss books growing up? Which one does your child like the best?
As a kid, mine was always "One Fish, Two Fish" and my son's is "There's a Wocket in My Pocket"
Happy Reading!