On two of my other websites Kids Place Live Fans and Gooney Birds Kids, I recently posted a semi-PSA about a campaign called Listen to Your Buds.
This got me thinking. How many kids do listen to their music and too loud, and why? I don’t know, I’m curious.
For me, the rule has been that generally the kids DON’T use headphones — and I mean headphones, not buds. There are exceptions to that rule, as a matter of course. When we are on the airplane and we need to respect the other passengers, the girls use headphones to watch a movie (if an appropriate one is playing) or for their DSes. Another time that headphones are used is if there is a time change that is difficult for a kid to adjust too. Then said child can use headphones to listen to a book on the iPod.
Otherwise, we all listen to the same thing. One thing we have going for us is that I do listen to and enjoy kids’ music (obviously). And the kids are willing to put up with the music that I listen to (generally folk/singer/songwriter genres). I hope that we can continue on this path, all of us sharing our “listening pleasures” together, instead of tuning ourselves out.
Now, back to hearing loss. I am very guilty of setting my kids down right in front of the stage at concerts sans earplugs. I always find it ironic that the kids’ stage at Austin City Limits is the one that is easy to get close to and is where the kids are. Getting their ears blown out — earplugs have been available, but had run out by the time we considered them a necessity (School of Rock Allstars).
