Tuesday, January 20, 2009

What are the Children Listening to?

It's no doubt that music is important to our existence. So many souls cannot afford to ignore a song. Some will not even bother to know the message a song is passing, all that matters to them is the beat. Yes the beat.

Listening to the lyrics and having a good beat to go with it, is what some people will like in a song. On and on it goes and the bottom line is MUSIC is an integral part of our beings. I used to belong to the 2 groups. The ones that will dance to any good beat and the one that will appreciate a good music with sensible lyrics.

These days however, I am in the second group of those that will stick to a good music with very sensible lyrics. Thank God for Asa, Shasha, TY Bello, Face, Nice.... At least the last two artists try to limit stereotyping women if we don't mind some Yoruba Proverbs that Nice will use. Some of these proverbs are trully questionable.

I am not going there today (to the questionable proverbs) and I intend not to make this post long. I have being observing how children dedicate thier times to music especially the ones with bad lyrics but good beat! When I say children, I mean the ones between the age of 2 to 10. They are the ones I see when I go to have my hair cut, when I close from work and I am strolling home or when I am out visiting friends. They gather and start singing and dancing to some of these songs with bad lyrics. Songs that will emphasis
  1. that a woman is an ASHAWO "Prostitute"
  2. that will teach them how to curse others
  3. that will expose them to vulgar words
  4. that will teach them words that "touts" are using
  5. that are disrespecful to women and thier bodies
Just to mention a few. Just like Aloted said in her interview with mio "teach your child the way of the lord and she/he will never depart from it".

Who is teaching this kids the way of the lord? Who is teaching these kids great values that will better thier lives? Are the parents as carefree as not minding what kids are listening to? I know it might not be easy in this busy world to always know the moves our children make and it's understandable that they have the right to grow. I am just of the opinion that talking to the children and letting them know the danger in getting hooked to songs that are "not good for their souls" will really help in making them develop good mindsets.

30 comments:

seamstress said...

What a refresing blog..i love your passion and the way you write.

I know what you mean, its terrible these days, kids are like sponges if you don't shield them at an early age they just absorb all the bad stuff...the media doesn't help either

However its the responsibility of a parent to try and teach them the difference between good and bad!

I remember as a kid, i wouldn't dare use any sort of language in from of an elder let alone my parents

Now it seems...children no dey fear!!!

Anonymous said...

I get where you're coming from, but at the end of the day, I guess it all comes down to upbringing. I was exposed to a lot of unsavory things at a very young age, but till today I think it still fascinates me how I handled them.

I knew using cuss words and never used them, despite knowing what they were, such that even now, decades later, I still can't swear.
We can't shield kids from the evils of the world, mainly because it's getting easier and easier to access, but as long as they're being taught what is bad, and they understand that there will be repercussions for going astray, they should be alright.

As for the ones that won't listen...well, a little disciplinary action never hurt anyone.

O'Dee said...

Very true.

Its important that parents monitor the kind of music their kids listen too. My parents did, & I am thankful they did.

Today parents are too busy, with "their lives" to pay attention to their kids.

Jay said...

My dear..the things that kids know at very young ages is just scary.

Still at my ripe old age cannot even contemplate saying or doing certain things in front of elders...still know i will get a hot slap if i even try!

Kid are exposed too early to adult stuff, they never get an experience to stay kids for too long.

Responsibility lies on everyone but more so with the parents.

Afrobabe said...

I actually saw a video of a very young naija girl dancing and dropping it like its hot, rubbing up on her equally young partner who didn't seem to know what to do...She had one leg up while rubbing on him with adults cheering them on...

That site has never left my mind....

I can't even imagine dancing that way as an adult...

Fammy said...

@ Afrobabe, that's a truly worrisome sight.

As adults and parents we really need to alert the children of the dangers. A few do overcome like onyeka, but the majority get caught up in the snare.

Thanks Standtall for this highlight.

bArOquE said...

9inch nail in cerebrum, for those who care to bother...i ask these questions every other day! we need to be careful what they take in, despite our not 'overprotecting' them...

Woomie O! said...

like my lil niece'ld say. 'darry said I shuln dance to derri music' But how do you know what's derri and what's clean.
It's not about the lyrics, it's about the beatsss...i tell you.

Woomie O! said...

you just got tagged!!!!!!!!!!

visit my blog for more details.
feel free to leave ur comments!

miz-cynic said...

who born me ! wen i was a kid....Madam B will just use steaming hot omorogun from her pot of amala to blas-scatter tht ur yansh for u.and since she's a nurse, she'll treat u for burns later.

Anonymous said...

I am so so proud of you!
Sie sind sehr fantastisch, Frau!

FineBoy Agbero said...

Can we really blame the kids? I think it's all a consequence of our technological freedom. Technology has created a channel for every wannabe singer to produce beats and add horrible immoral lyrics in the guise of a song. Who regulates what gets to the mass market? Do they even care? My 2 and half year old niece told me during xmas: "ori e foka sibe!" And she doesn't even understand Yoruba! Most of these kids don't even know the meanings of these things; they just sing along.

The world has also been held "hostage" by the media. In the days I grew up, TV programming didn't start till 4pm. We wtached Voltron and Sesame Street. The only music I remember from my childhood were the likes of Thriller and Sade Adu. These days nko? With Satellite TV, children can watch anything and hear anything. Local TV is just as bad. Kids don't need to listen to the radio; commercialization has provided them cheap alternatives: the idiot roadside DJ or CD seller blasting irksome music from tuned speakers!

Everywhere, the kids are besotted by the media. Like Green Day said,
Don't want to be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
It's calling out to idiot America.


Not only America o; everywhere!

Nice post! There's always a lot of sense here. Love commenting here (as my alter ego of course!)

aloted said...

FBA made a solid point as per technology. Wonder what the world is turning into.

As a child my mum only played gospel music. Popc listened to his obey and ko but all we ever listened to or watched was Psalty and the children singing songs to God (can't remember what it is called now). You know all those children christian music videos. Till date, anytime they play an oldie and my friends are singing..i just look cuz i don't know the songs...just a few i have learnt or heard recently

But now it scares me. With 24/7 television, they show all kind of scary stuff in broad day light!!!

where do u start from...how will I monitor what my children listen to or watch...May God help us o!

Tigeress said...

Very interesting blog Standtall. As parents we do need to teach our kids right from wrong and control the kinda music they at least listen to in the house. unfortunately we cant control what they listen to in School.

Flourishing Florida said...

2 b parent no b beans. d thing dat happens is dat radio stations play these musics during their prime time. school children have full access to these songs, with d parents off at work. even if d child no even get radio 4 him house, there is probably one campus boyoyo or babe near-by, who no go 4 him lecture, blasting away on dir CD. in fact, there r so many avenues 4 children 2 sponge off these songs. & maybe cos they r kids, they can't automatically tell a good lyrics 4rm a bad one. except it's an obedient child dat will say 'my mummy says dis music is bad!'. e no easy mehn. na God dey save person everyday

Toluwa said...

True talk...most songs with good beats have bad lyric, and the kids are attracted to the beats first before they realise the lyrics. by dt tym, dey already love the song and dont really care what the artist is saying.

If a child is taught well, and is brought up well by their parents, a song shld nt have impact on what the child does.

I listen to some songs which r retarded if i might say cos of the beats, but the words dnt dictate my actions and what i do. and its because i know the meaning of morality. My mom taught me that.

So its up to the parents. Although i also agree that parents shld reduce the amount of stupid music their kids listen to when they can. Most parents can not control that but they cld try!

Zayzee said...

i wonder really. these kids do not even understand what they sing, and that is the saddest part of it.

Writefreak said...

Well said standtall

The music children listen to these days, i wonder! It stems also from the adults listening to any kind of music, if a parent listens to the wrong kinda music, then the children will. Sadly, a lot of parents are too busy to even know what their children watch or listen to. My parents were always there for us, especially my mum and we didn't even have the opportunity to watch any rubbish! I pray to always be able to be there for my children and teach them in the way of the Lord...and also to be able to show the children of my generation the right way...by God's grace!

I guess it will be nice for parents to use the parental control feature on their tvs for the sake of sanity!

Kafo said...

well said
i think i was sheltered as a child and wasn't exposed to alot of stuff growing up and now i shiver at what my cousins watch

Anonymous said...

Well I was taught the way of the LORD and I still departed from it. So I will rephrase that (no offense to Aloted) I will teach my children to be kind, to love above all, to be empathetic and to work hard. Those are my values. I listen to some of these lyrics and I must say that it dissapoints me. But then again one can seek out the good ones if one so desires.

Anonymous said...

I cant find the other post. But I was going to say that I agree with some of your points but then I still believe that it is important to read Oscar Wilde with a sense of precocious humor. He was a satirist. His quotes are satires and are meant to be taken as such. and Aristotle in a metaphorical way. Some parts of the bible are extremely patriachical, but one still follows the teachings but just not word for word. I believe that it was saint peter that said that Women leading in the church is not a good thing... or some such. Anyways thats it. Ca c'est mon opinion.

aloted said...

@Temite- no offense taken. All those things u listed are part of the "Lord's way"

ah departee..lol..don't worry u are coming back...it's just a matter of time

Robyn.K.Y said...

uumm today Music is the worst drug of all.God help us.

MissBalance said...

Wow! had a discussion with the same topic today. Sigh! At this rate, we've got loads of work to do!!!

doug said...

I've been lamenting the misogyny in contemporary music for yeaaaars! Its one of the reasons why I stopped listening to rap for a very long time. Personally I think its the subtle references that are longer lasting. A lot of people won't call a woman a 'bitch' but they'll call her a 'skele' or 'kokolette' even though both these terms affect the way you percieve women.

Unfortunately it seems it'll only get worse.

doug said...

I go to a kids birthday party and see a bunch of 'em rocking to dbanj in a dance competition. And the DJ plays this in a kids birthday party???!!! Right in the parents house?!! So how do we expect them to behave later on?

ablackjamesbond said...

Baroque spoke my mind.

The Activist said...

Seamstress: I do concur with your point. I really believe in the formative year of 1 to get the children to tell the right from the wrong. There are so much junks in the world these days

Onyeka: I do believe in the point you made. You put your upbringing to a good use and I hope this will happen to a lot of kids out there
“A little disciplinary action” yeah!

OluwaDee: Yeah busy busy parents. I am not the one to tell the numbers of kids people should have but I will recommend maximum of 2 in this age and time. So one can have time to be there for them no matter how busy

Jarrai: Kids grow up too quickly these days and that is the reason why the background should be filled with the right information so as they grow older, they have their values intact. Kids will do funny and stupid stuff but the ones that will affect their mindsets and world view at large should be corrected when they are young. God help us bcos I just spoke a lot of ideology! (lol)

Afrobabe: “dropping it like it’s hot”. Hmmm the kids must have seeing videos that got them thinking and dancing that way. I love it when kids can dance but that kind of dance style, I am dumbstruck

Fanny: you are so right abut majority getting cut up in the snare. We gat to try

Baroque: (sorry cant keep spelling your name they way you do, it’s kinda funny, you know). We do need to be careful indeed


Woomie: I hope Daddy pointed out to the girl what “derri music is all about o”. I am sure you can help out in that department too. Thanks for the tag. Now I have to do it!

Miz-Cynic: ah isn’t that too harsh a punishment?

Severus Snape: Thank you my broad. I don’t understand the French though

The Activist said...

FBA: No, we can’t blame the kids. You know like when the girl was signing “ori e foka sibe” did anyone try to tell her that that jargon isn’t meant to be sung?
A lot of the adults that are even responsible for these kids have lsot their values too…

We are indeed in held hostage by the media (God help us and may He help us help ourselves)

The idiot roadside DJ or CD seller, will not only make unnecessary noise that will want to burst your ears but they are the ones that promotes all these songs. (What a shame)
(lol) at the “idiot America”

Glad you find sense on this blog. Hope to see more of you



Aloted: the celebrity. The 24 hours TV station with a lot of junks in them and if kids are back from school with no adult at home or with an adult that is corrupt. He/She let them loose.

Tigress: I am of the opinion that good schools will be careful about what they expose the kids too. But peer group in the school environment is another issue


FFF: I really agree with what you said here. So many loose ends, so mahy avenues to get children to have the taste of bad songs. Music is like the soul. It’s everywhwere

Just…Toluwa: You are so right about parents trying. They could really as oppose to not making any effort

Uzezi: yea, that’s the saddest part but some grow up to learn the meaning and they just go on and on getting badder cos not one to correct them

Writefreak: Good insight. Apart from our parents too, just like some bloggers mentioned, the media, peer group, schools, roadside DJ and CD seller etc contribute to these too. But if a child has an explanation of why some of these songs should be avoided by their parents, they will be guided somewhat

Kafo: Lucky you!

Temite: I sent you an email

Robyn: Well captured!

Brown Sugar: Yeah, loads of work o. We berra start now

Doug: you are darn right. At times when I tell people never to rever to me as “skele” they think I am not all right. It’s getting worse with all these useless words the musician keep conjuring up.


ABlackJamesBond: Baba Oyinni, Baroque spoke your mind? Berra give us a perspective of a father

Buttercup said...

U r so right..but really, if we think about it properly, theres only so much a parent can do to protect n shield their kids..it just take the grace of God..

My Passion, my focus, the change that I want to see in the world - is my propellent factor.

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