Are you ever too young for MP3 technology?

OK, let me start this entry by giving you some background. DD1 was brought up on music such as "The Wiggles", "Greg and Steve", "Raffi", "Sesame Street", etc. until she was well past the age of 5. Then, because she was outgrowing the preschool stuff, I let her listen to Radio Disney once in a while... but still playing the preschool stuff most of the time because I figured DD2 deserved the same excellence in parenting that DD1 had. Monitor what they hear and see - and hopefully it will do some good. (Not that I didn't let them watch Shrek, or anything pg... but you get the idea.)

Guess what happened? DD2 decided along with DD1 that the preschool songs bit the big one, and only wanted the more modern Disney exposure. (Hillary, High School Musical, Hannah, you know - the TWEEN music.) So much for protecting DD2's right to excellent parenting - - she is now very put out if we pop in "The Wiggles", and it's much easier to drive without the tantrums that withholding Radio Disney causes.

I got Husband an IPod for Christmas last year. He had a small MP3 player before that, so he LOVED the 30gigs that the IPod provided. Music, movies, etc. Managing his music inventory is now a hobby of his. This left the old MP3 player not being used. Cue DD1 entering second grade - and us thinking it might be fun for her to have the MP3 player loaded with the tween music that she loves. Maybe I can steer DD2 back the way I want her to go.

(You see where this is going, yes?)

DD2 will NOT be steered back to preschool music.

NOT. INTERESTED. Thank. You.

Now she screams that sister has something so very cool of her very own - and by saying "she screams" you should read that as: "a high pitched noise capable of shattering glass is escaping from her lungs and my ears are starting to bleed."

So, I have an idea. I will not get her her OWN mp3 player... but I will lend her mine. Filled with music that is acceptable - even some Aly and AJ.

She is in heaven. DD1 is OK because her mp3 is hers, and DD2's is only borrowed from Mom. DD2 is in heaven because she thinks now she is just as hip as big sister. Mom is in heaven because my ears have stopped bleeding. Dad is suspicious that Mom gave in to DD2 at too early of an age, and that we should have waited until she was a bit older.

He's probably right. But there is only really so much screaming I can listen to before I'm going to have to up my prozac dosage - - and do any of us really want that?

It is true, the second child has a much more "relaxed" upbringing.

First child: rigid nap schedule, gymboree classes, all new outfits at just the right age, fully monitored visual and audio input.
Second child: They nap around older sister's schedule, we pay attention to them during sister's ballet classes instead of taking them to gymboree class, they wear the hand-me-down when they fit... hopefully it's the correct season, and they pretty much get to watch and listen to what big sister watches and listens to.

It is probably a good thing Husband and I stopped at two children. If this were to continue I can only imagine that the fourth or fifth child would have had their ears pierced in utero, would have known all the words to, "It's the best of both worlds" instead of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", and instead of "Baby Einstein" she would watch "High School Musical" in her bouncy seat. And I probably wouldn't be sitting next to her talking about the colors and music. I'd be screaming for DD1 to get in to the family room and watch the baby.

I personally am the youngest of six children.

I? Could have been raised by aliens and my parents wouldn't have minded.