Spring
is the time for new life so this edition of the Media column is for
children and moms.
Spring Book List
(Courtesy of listmania at Amazon.com)
What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition, #4 on the New York Times Best
Seller List
The Missing Piece by Shel
Silverstien
April Bubbles Chocolate: An ABC of Poetry by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep by Joyce Dunbar
Muppet Kids in Mom's Having a Baby
by Louise Gikow
Hey Mom...I'll Cook Dinner!: Recipes That Turn a Kid into the Family
Chef by Anita K. Nobles
Mom's Everything Book for Sons by
Becky Freeman
What Kids Wish
Parents Knew About Parenting by Joe White and Gary Smalley
The Lemonade Stand:
A Guide to Encouraging the Entrepreneur In Your Child by
Emmanuel Modu, Andrea Walker and James B. Hayes
Spring Music
(Courtesy of listmania at Amazon.com)
Sleep Baby Sleep-Quiet Songs For Quiet Times by Nicolette Larson
No! by They
Might Be Giants
Great Big World
by Joe McDermott
Inside Out
by Jessica Harper
Singin' In the
Bathtub by John Lithgow
World Playground
by Putumayo
For the Kids by
Various Artists
House Party by
Dan Zanes
Ralph's World
by Ralph Covert
Not For Kids Only
by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
Too cool for
parenting, but find yourself with offspring? Here is music you can
stand.
Parents
always end up listening to the kid's music, and sometimes that can be
rough. Some kid's music will drive you NUTS in less time than it takes
to get to the grocery store. Since you are the parent, you buy the
music, and you are the boss of the car stereo (make sure you are the
boss of it, because if they are then that is the first problem - learn
to use the stereo!).
Now, lets get started.
1. No Barney,
No Teletubbies. Do not let yourself be influenced by the evil powers of
the Teletubbies, or Barney. They are NOT COOL. Stay away from them and
keep your kids from them. (My theory of that screen on the
Tinkie-Winkie's belly is that it serves a telekinetic hypnotic device
drawing the minds of all who watch into it's brainwashing
alter-universe where the grass really is just painted cardboard. But
that's still just a theory). And, those Barney kids are old enough to
be dating!
2. Be prepared to hear the song
again and again and
again and again and... Kid's by nature enjoy being repetitive,
repetitive. If you didn't much like it the first time, you will HATE it
on the 56th time through. And, you will find yourself breaking that
"Nothing in your ear smaller than your elbow" rule. If you did not like
it the first time, sell it, trash it, use it as a coaster - just don't
let it anywhere near the car (especially before a road trip).
3.
You can't go wrong with The Muppets!!! Jim Henson created some the
greatest children's entertainment, which is just as entertaining for
adults. Kid's only get half of the humor of the Muppets. I guarantee
that you will find yourself popping in the cds even when the kids are
not with you. 'Kermit
Unpigged' is great. Get it while you can. 'Muppet
Show: Music Mayhem & More - 25th Anniv Coll'
has got all of the old songs you know and love. And each time you hear
them, you catch something funny you missed last time. Also, try to get
your hands on some of the older stuff, like Muppet Beach Party and
Rowlf's CD.
Sesame Street is great too. But,
they are pushing
Elmo a bit too much. He is one of my least favorite cast members, and
he can get annoying FAST. So get your fill of Sesame but ease up on the
Elmo. 'Sesame
Street Platinum: All-Time Favorites' 'Bert
& Ernie's Greatest Hits' 'Sesame
Road' 'Splish
Splash' 'Sesame
Street: Oscar's Trashy Songs' 'Dreamytime
Songs' 'Monster
Melodies'
4.
Choose music that is NOT sung by kids for in the car. This is where you
will listen to music most. And the combination of 50 kids singing
ring-around-the-rosey and the white minivan that just cut you off
without even a blinker is sure to be a hazard to yourself and
pedestrians. Stay safe, stay away from kiddie choirs. You hear your own
kids enough, why punish yourself by listening to other people's kids?
5.
They don't always need "kid's music". Kid's like oldies, and rock, and
pop. Don't always make them listen to music approved by the Association
of Over Protective Parents. Expand their horizons. Play a little Aretha
Franklin, some Beatles, even some Monkeys. Hey, it's new to them, and
the world doesn't come with an orange backdrop.
Try 'Soul',
or 'A
Child's Celebration of Dance Music', or 'A
Child's Celebration of Rock 'n' Roll', or something from your own
collections.
6.
If you are a die-hard fan of an artist. See if they contributed to any
collections of kid’s music. Its fun to hear a group you love do
something very different. For instance, Jerry Garcia did 'Not
for Kids Only'. Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, and Five For
Fighting are on 'For
The Kids'. 'Lullabies
For Little Dreamers : Soft Rock Classics From Your Favorite Stars'
has James Taylor and Fleetwood Mac. Linda Ronstadt and Bette Midler are
on 'In
Harmony'. 'For
Our Children: 10th Anniversary Edition'
is packed full of artists like Bob Dylan, Sting, Little Richard, Paula
Abdul, Barbara Streisand, and Elton John. Celine Dion, Toni Braxton,
Cher, Faith Hill, and Natalie Merchant are on 'For
Our Children Too!: To Benefit Pediatric AIDS Foundation'. Sometimes
if the voice is familiar, it doesn'tmatter what they are singing.
7.
Limit yourself with The Wiggles. A little of them is ok, but after a
little while, they become...I just don't trust them. And, if you are
going to go Wiggles, go all the way...go audio visual. Parents and kids
will like it, but for entirely different reasons. 'The
Wiggles 3 Pack (Wiggle Time/Toot Toot/Yummy Yummy)'
Other Items I would feel guilty
for not including:
'Best
of Schoolhouse Rock'
'Willy
Wonka & The Chocolate Factory: Music From The Original Soundtrack
Of The Paramount Picture'
'Singin'
in the Bathtub'
'Where
the Sidewalk Ends'
'Light
in the Attic' (not all his stuff is for kid's folks)
'Toon
Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Cartoon Songs'
'Free
To Be ... You And Me (1972 Television Cast)'
'All
You Need Is Love: Beatles Songs for Kids'
'Comfort
& Joy'
