Music Monday...a little late

Okay, there is no need to go crazy, I realize it's Tuesday. I had the intention of writing this yesterday, but well...life with kids gets in the way.

Little K was seriously cranky on Sunday and we figured she was getting a cold. So Monday morning we kept her home from school. Considering her fever and all over bad-moodiness, I called the doc. I'm not one to go to the doctor for just a cold or flu. There has to be something more. Call it mother's intuition, but I felt it was the right thing to do. Turns out, I was right. My baby has a case of strep throat. Not life threatening, in fact she's already bouncing back.
Just 9 more days of antibiotics to go and she'll be back to100%. Although, considering her crazy repulsion to taking medicine, this might just be the longest 9 days of my life!! I'm already running out of ideas to hide the taste. Poor girl, poor mom.

Anyway, that's my excuse. Life trumps blog. That's the way it is. However, I have been lucky to work from home for the past two days and the short breaks I get away from the computer (and Max and Ruby) I have been enjoyed some tunes.

Here's a couple of my current faves:

 

AWOLNATION-Not your fault

A fun diddy to get you moving. I think it would make a great running song (if I ever get running again, but that's a story for another day). I liked their other hit 'Sail' but they overplayed it on the radio and it quickly lost it's edge. The video for this is a little creepy, claymation and all. Wonder what I would look like animated?

Florence + the machine-Shake it out

I've been a fan of Flo here for a while but a few weeks ago I watched her perform on Saturday Night Live. I was so impressed. She sounded equally as good live as not so live...She's got a wicked voice; unique and strong. This song (and some of her others) have such a great meaning too. 

" I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart..."

Mr. B was also blown away and now comments every time we hear this song on the radio. "Is this that girl we saw on t.v.?...she's awesome." I also like that she's quite 'normal' looking, just an average girl with an above average talent. Enjoy some awesome.

Role Models

Being a mom of two girls, I'm especially aware of tv, movies, photos, music...okay, basically anything in the social world today...that will have an effect on their impressionable minds.
I have always had body acceptance issues. Not exactly sure where it stems from, I'm sure a few hours and a few thousand dollars spent at a therapist could help figure it out, but it is what it is. I deal.
My only goal now is to try my best to make sure that I don't push those insecurities onto my children.

Because of this, I have a problem with magazines. I enjoy flipping through a fashion magazine once in a while. I like the clothes (I worked retail for over 10 years and still get excited to see a new season of clothes), I like knowing the trends, seeing the styles. But because most fashion magazines reflect the wrong image I want for my children, I never get a subscription to a fashion mag, or do I rarely buy them. If I do buy them, I'm aware of the cover photos.

I recently read this article that got me thinking.It asks "Should magazines and modelling be banned for under 18 year olds?" This stemmed from the recent announcement and photos released of Cindy Crawford's 10 year old daughter being the face of 'Young Versace' a line for the under 18 crowd. My eyes have rolled so much they hurt.

photo

Anyway, my opinion is yes, magazines are not meant for younger kids, they are too impressionable at that age to understand all the imagiary and what it does to them. In the same breath, I don't think 18 is the age. By the time you are 18, you are already exposed to so much (other than mags) that is seems irrelevant. I think magazines, specifically fashion and tabloids should be discouraged for the under 16 crowds.

That said, I do get a regular subscription to Runner's World. I thought because it is a fitness magazine, the purpose was to encourage healthly living, exercise and being fit. Then one day, when I asked my daughter to join me for a run, she wanted to wear her bikini top. What?? Why?? We're running, no going to the beach! Then it hit me. Sure, RW shows healthy models, but they are usually scantilly clad in short-shorts and bra tops. Not what I wear to run.

So here I'm thinking that I'm protecting my daughters from inappropriate images, but it was right under their noses this whole time.

Recently, Dee, my oldest daughter, who is now 9 years old, went to a birthday party where the favours were 'Teen Beat' magazine. Sheesh! I try hard to not bring that crap into the house and other people are just givin' it away. Before Dee had a chance to grab it, I took a quick look through it to see if there was anything offensive to me. Then I looked at it with her. I commented on the people, the hairstyles, the dresses etc. There was a lot of Bieber in there, but she was more interested in the Taylor Swift article.

I gave in. I let her have the magazine and noticed that she practically slept with it. She read it every night for a week. Now, I think it's under the bed. Am I a hypocrite? Those magazines are made for young readers, right?

I remember these magazines as a kid. I also loved them. I can understand her interest, I just worry that it's too much too soon. What's a mom to do?

What do you think?