Saturday 28 May 2011

Am I a Prude?

Photo has no relevance, just though it was cute...
Whilst driving in the car we are usually tuned into the local FM radio station. This week I was sitting in the car with Caden whilst B ran into the shops. The radio was on. A song started playing, I hadn't heard it before so and was listening to it when the words kind of hit me in the face.

All of a sudden I was being told to 'get on my genitals'... Right then I decided we were done with mainstream radio. It has been getting bad for a long time. The words Bitch, Sex, Shit etc have all been allowed to be played on the radio for the past few years. Radio edits these days only gloss over the F-bomb and the horrid C word. Every things else seems to be fair game.

But really is switching the radio off going to do any good? Plus I would go crazy if it meant we were doomed to be listening to Justine Clark and the Wiggles all bloody day!

It is a hard choice. My kids love music. We have music on in the house most days streaming from our iPods. Currently Caden and Mahli's favorite bands are the Far East Movement and Black Eyed Peas. The enjoy singing along to the songs and making up dances so in turn they like listening to the radio in the car. But when we are faced with  Avril being a crazy bitch,  Rhianna loving the smell of it, Wynter Gordon dirty talking for 3 minutes, plus a whole lot more I really don't know what to do. I know I am not the first parent faced with this question and won't be that last. But really what did happen to the good old radio edit that got rid of all the 'inapproriate' words?

Am I just a prude or has radio gone to far with what is acceptable?

image from weheartit
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18 comments:

  1. Anonymous28 May 2011 at 22:29

    Oh yeah, that & the immature DJs associated with the music they choose to play. I remember one DJ saying "oh there is a photo of Britney Spears with a tampon cord hanging out of her hot pants, just saying, it's on our website". I mean, a) embarrassing, she's a real woman, give her a break & b) WHO would want to look at the photo?? It's a girl's worse nightmare, at least Britney had pants on. Then there is the awful DJ comments & interviews about sex, i mean, what celebrity goes on about having sex with other celebrities, they are revolting. While picking up a cheeky take-away one night the radio was on (clearly i rarely go out at night or with the children, so this was a shocker) someething came on which i blurred out & my 9 year old turned to me to ask "do you like having sex with Daddy". OMG it was like she was saying "will you have plum sauce with your spring rolls". I answered her quickly & said it wasn't an appropriate question but not her fault it was put in her head by the DJ on the radio. Far out, they are REVOLTING & sure, trying to get a rise but really!! I'm no prude either but they will rant on about over sexualising children - how it's so bad then go on like that, clearly they are not parents or they suck at parenting!! Great post!! Love Posie
    (Sorry it's anonymous, damn Blogger still won't let me log in!!)

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  2. Jodi Gibson28 May 2011 at 23:13

    I am no prude, but agree that things have gone too far. It used to be that we could turn off things and shield our kids from certain songs or shows, but now it is just everywhere. It is acceptable and I don't agree with it at all. My Miss 5 loves music and sings all the songs, and yes most of the time she has no ideas what it means, so I let it go, but when is the point when she does understand. Kids know too much too soon these days. I remember singing Divinyls I touch myself in Year 9 and having not much of a clue what it meant, but kids as young as 8 know what that means these days. We need to start drawing the lines again. Boundaries are there for a reason. (sorry that's my rant for now...)

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  3. Caz - thetruthaboutmummy29 May 2011 at 01:21

    Oh I do know what you me - then you hear the kids singingit!! Yikes. Following along now. Oh and I love Justine Clarke. I love the opposite song. Think I like her silly querky songs more than my three girls.

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  4. Kate29 May 2011 at 02:31

    I rarely have the radio on in the car for this reason. I'm far from a prude but particularly the S&M song seems to be on high rotation and I am not having that conversation with my 6&7 year olds!

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  5. yaga29 May 2011 at 11:07

    i understand you concerns, it's hard to teach children appropriate behaviour when other sources suggest the opposite is 'cool' and will make you a star. but is editing any better? kids aren't stupid, they know that 'bad' words are hidden in there and they will be curious and find out...

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  6. Veronica30 May 2011 at 19:18

    Look, I'm not a prude and we listen to a lot of radio - but I change the channel on a lot of songs now. I don't want to explain to my 4yo why Kei$ha isn't acceptable, not really.

    I have a playlist of decent music at home that is relatively clean and we listen to that usually and I add/subtract songs from playlists depending on who is listening.

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  7. Penny2 June 2011 at 16:36

    I have moved across to AM radio. A friend of mine kept spouting interesting facts about world events, day to day stuff and the latest film festival - she got it all from ABC. SO have made the switch - much more interesting listening.

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  8. Nicole2 June 2011 at 16:45

    I was actually thinking about this today.
    I don't have children yet but I'm horrified by some of the things I hear on the radio (and see on video clips for that matter)

    I don't consider myself a prude but think singers and songwritters are pushing the bounderys a little too far.

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  9. Sarah @GettingfromHeretoThere2 June 2011 at 17:18

    It's gone too far! I worry that Pumpkin (5yo) is not up on who's who in the music world like most of her friends probably are but I really really really don't want her exposed to that crap! Although, there's no chance of me ever listening to Justine Clarke by choice ;-)

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  10. Emma2 June 2011 at 18:31

    I don't consider myself a prude either, merely that I have taste :) But I'm often appalled by the language in songs these days. I don't have children so I don't have to worry about that side of it, but I do get jack of hearing about everything in such detail. Surely there are other things to sing about? Or artists could try being a bit more creative (it is their job after all) and go with some subtlety and innuendo rather than the explicit version.

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  11. skyelee2 June 2011 at 20:30

    Could not agree more - my older daughter (5) would have no idea who the Black Eyed Peas, Rhianna etc are, and I'm fine with that. We don't listen to radio except in the car, and I never thought I would own up to listening to a classic hits station, but at least I can understand all the words - and they don't need to be beeped out!

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  12. Glowless @ Where's My Glow5 June 2011 at 23:24

    I'm not a prude and I don't think you are either. I can't stand all the swearing in songs (on the radio - CD versions are fine, you choose to buy it or not), especially the swearing just for swearing's sake.
    A way around it might be to listen to a religious station? There is one where I am and it plays all popular songs just none with swearing or adult themes - I just switch over when the sermons start because I'm not actually religious!

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  13. Veronica @ Mixed Gems11 November 2011 at 02:38

    I have no idea what goes on commercial radio nowadays. I'm not in the car much lately but even when I am, I leave radio off. I know I don't like a lot of what's on. I like the idea from Glowless to listen to Christian radio. You get a great range of stuff but none of the really down and dirty horrible stuff. And to think parents were worried for their kids in the days of Elvis and his shakin hips! It's kind of sad, and scary how far we've slipped and how permissive has become so "normal".

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  14. Marcy11 November 2011 at 02:48

    I do find it very disturbing how vulgar everything has gotten--not just radio, but TV. I teach 7th grade, and I get shocked all the time at the shows and movies these kids are routinely allowed to watch. Ugh. --Visiting from the Rewind.

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  15. Salamander11 November 2011 at 02:57

    It's scary, it really is! I have been forced to listen to Gold 104 ever since my kids grew ears that could repeat what they heard. The only drawback is that they can now sing pretty much every old song around...which doesn't bother the 80's chick driving the car!!! But no, you're not a prude. Just a good mum. Visiting from the Rewind xxx

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  16. Cath11 November 2011 at 03:03

    I'm a prude and I'm proud of it! I have decided that the radio station suitable for a small child's ears (he's 5) is ABC Classic FM. No ads, no nasties, with the occasional explanation that opera is just crazy like that! It's probably saved me a wealth of road rage as well. It's a long way from my life BC when I was a keen JJJ fan, but it's worth it.

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  17. Life In A Pink Fibro12 November 2011 at 15:27

    Great post. The Builder likes to listen to Triple J and I am forever hitting the 'change station' button.

    Visiting from the Rewind!

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  18. MultipleMum14 November 2011 at 01:55

    I have to say that I switched to 702 AM a few years ago. Less music, more talking. Not sure if that suits everyone but I have to admit that I can't stand the noise these days! Total Nanna that I am. Thanks for Rewinding x

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