My kids are always talking about Justin Beiber and I honestly don't know a thing about him other than he has funny hair and looks really young. I started thinking about how my kids are starting to be influenced by their friends, and things other than me, and I was wondering if I should start to pay attention to the kind of stuff they are into, just so I know?

I guess, now that it occurs to me, it seems obvious that I should, but my oldest is only 9 so I've never really thought about it before.

I wouldn't bother, because at the end of the day it doesn't much matter. My daughter is thirteen, but I had her at eighteen, so I think at a certain point I was young enough to fleetingly relate (or at least appreciate) to what she might be into, but that's starting to fade now. She mentions names and titles (she was *big* on The Suite Life with Zach and Cody a few years ago) I may have heard of, but have next to no interest in learning more about. Just keep it PG-13, I tell her.

I think they should a little because it's like you always have to keep up on the current events so you're not going by just what you knew 10 or 20 years ago, and pop culture is a part of the ever changing current events in life. Should they know as much about it as the kids? I don't think so, especially if they have no interest in it themselves. MOST pop culture today is NOT worth knowing about for any age.

Chris wrote:

I wouldn't bother, because at the end of the day it doesn't much matter. My daughter is thirteen, but I had her at eighteen, so I think at a certain point I was young enough to fleetingly relate (or at least appreciate) to what she might be into, but that's starting to fade now. She mentions names and titles (she was *big* on The Suite Life with Zach and Cody a few years ago) I may have heard of, but have next to no interest in learning more about. Just keep it PG-13, I tell her.

My kids are into i-Carly and I don't get that show AT ALL.

I guess I want to know what they are into a little more than I do, so that I can give them messages with my own values, as another viewpoint, if the stuff they like is contrary to my values.

I don't think it's real vital for parents to keep up with current pop culture. It's not really a necessity, in my opinion.

thepossiblepolice wrote:

Chris wrote:

I wouldn't bother, because at the end of the day it doesn't much matter. My daughter is thirteen, but I had her at eighteen, so I think at a certain point I was young enough to fleetingly relate (or at least appreciate) to what she might be into, but that's starting to fade now. She mentions names and titles (she was *big* on The Suite Life with Zach and Cody a few years ago) I may have heard of, but have next to no interest in learning more about. Just keep it PG-13, I tell her.

My kids are into i-Carly and I don't get that show AT ALL.

I guess I want to know what they are into a little more than I do, so that I can give them messages with my own values, as another viewpoint, if the stuff they like is contrary to my values.

I have younger nephews and neighbors and I can't get into any of that stuff at all and I don't even bother. When my nephews were staying here one was watching Spongebob and I said to him 'HOW can you sit there all day watching a stupid talking sponge?' and couldn't really get an answer. My response was to show him the stuff I'm into, which at that moment was a Buster Keaton film where he tries to build his own home from a do-it-yourself kit. He was a little slow in coming around to it but near the end he thought it was hysterical.

It's not like when my brother and I were kids and our parents didn't get Kablaam! and Jim Henson's Dinosaurs, some of the stuff then was crap, some was gold, but today, it's ALL crap, ALL the same things, EVERYBODY in all these shows today got to be a star, that's their biggest ambition and it's all you ever see, how the hell can you even tell them apart?

Supernova wrote:

thepossiblepolice wrote:

My kids are into i-Carly and I don't get that show AT ALL.

I guess I want to know what they are into a little more than I do, so that I can give them messages with my own values, as another viewpoint, if the stuff they like is contrary to my values.

I have younger nephews and neighbors and I can't get into any of that stuff at all and I don't even bother. When my nephews were staying here one was watching Spongebob and I said to him 'HOW can you sit there all day watching a stupid talking sponge?' and couldn't really get an answer. My response was to show him the stuff I'm into, which at that moment was a Buster Keaton film where he tries to build his own home from a do-it-yourself kit. He was a little slow in coming around to it but near the end he thought it was hysterical.

It's not like when my brother and I were kids and our parents didn't get Kablaam! and Jim Henson's Dinosaurs, some of the stuff then was crap, some was gold, but today, it's ALL crap, ALL the same things, EVERYBODY in all these shows today got to be a star, that's their biggest ambition and it's all you ever see, how the hell can you even tell them apart?

I don't know I'm just glad my kids don't love Hannah Montana any more because that girl made me was to pull my hair out.

So maybe I'm over protective? I feel like they are going to start listening to rap and wanting to wear hoochie mama clothes and give people blow jobs or something and I'll be blissfully unaware...
OR that my boys will join a gang and get killed.

But maybe that's because I don't understand the culture.

Well I don't think if they WERE to do that, that would come so much from the music or the shows they're into but rather the company they're keeping. Parents are always supposed to know who their kids' friends are, as well as where they go to hang out, when they ARE going, when they're coming home, etc., and that said I do think parents should have SOME idea of what their kids are watching as well, especially when they're still young and very impressionable.

Supernova wrote:

Well I don't think if they WERE to do that, that would come so much from the music or the shows they're into but rather the company they're keeping. Parents are always supposed to know who their kids' friends are, as well as where they go to hang out, when they ARE going, when they're coming home, etc., and that said I do think parents should have SOME idea of what their kids are watching as well, especially when they're still young and very impressionable.

That's probably true. Right now I still have complete control over where they go and who they go with and there's always me or an adult that I know and trust there. But I am one of those parents who needs to know all of that. I also will be getting them the cell phones that GPS track them and text me where they are at...

I'm just scared I guess, I want so much for them to have good lives and I feel like there are so many "problem" kids around us, because we live in a less than desirable neighborhood and the parents just aren't there.

You'll drive yourself crazy trying to keep up with these kids pop culture, because it's fleeting and who they're into this year won't be who they'll be stanning for next. I would just observe what it is they're watching and listening to to make sure it's in line with what you're comfortable with them being immersed in. I wouldn't start watching Teen Nick to see who is the next Disney starlet to replace the last one.

RiteDiva wrote:

You'll drive yourself crazy trying to keep up with these kids pop culture, because it's fleeting and who they're into this year won't be who they'll be stanning for next. I would just observe what it is they're watching and listening to to make sure it's in line with what you're comfortable with them being immersed in. I wouldn't start watching Teen Nick to see who is the next Disney starlet to replace the last one.

haha, that's more what I meant anyway, I have no plans to become a fan of any of the stuff that they watch/listen to...Now if only they would become fans of MY music...

IDK, sometimes it's creepy when parents TRY to keep up with popular culture because a lot of them ain't so good at it.

Forgiveness Man wrote:

IDK, sometimes it's creepy when parents TRY to keep up with popular culture because a lot of them ain't so good at it.

lol, I guess my wording was not precise...I don't mean I'll be dressing like them or buying myself JB CD's...I mean, just be aware and listen to it with them to make sure it's okay and stuff.

^^^^Well they should definitely monitor what their kids listen to, definitely.

I think as parents we should know what the artists our kids are into are all about. So far, my son hasn't been a fanatic of any particular artists or actors or shows.

I voted "other" because while I think it's vital for parents to know who, what and where their kids are involved with they don't need to have their kid's music on their iPods, etc.

thepossiblepolice wrote:

Chris wrote:

I wouldn't bother, because at the end of the day it doesn't much matter. My daughter is thirteen, but I had her at eighteen, so I think at a certain point I was young enough to fleetingly relate (or at least appreciate) to what she might be into, but that's starting to fade now. She mentions names and titles (she was *big* on The Suite Life with Zach and Cody a few years ago) I may have heard of, but have next to no interest in learning more about. Just keep it PG-13, I tell her.

My kids are into i-Carly and I don't get that show AT ALL.

I guess I want to know what they are into a little more than I do, so that I can give them messages with my own values, as another viewpoint, if the stuff they like is contrary to my values.

I'm not sure if my daughter watches that one, I don't think so. From ages age six to about twelve, she splurged on those Disney/Snick shows (Zach and Cody, Hannah, Lizzy), but I think she's starting to phase out of them, which I'm personally grateful for. Now she's watching adult cartoons like Family Guy and Boondocks, as well as some of those teenage reality shows on MTV; which at times I am iffy about, but I let her slide on some of them – so long as the episodes aren't too raunchy.

Chris wrote:

Now she's watching adult cartoons like Family Guy and Boondocks...

Ooh, ooh. You should see if she likes Archer. That show is a riot.



Then again. Maybe not.