pop music dance parties in kindergarten?

[herenow2]

I would love some input on this as I really don't know if I am being way too uptight or if my perspective is well founded.  

My daughter goes to a small Catholic school that we pay for (though not much compared to other private schools.)  She attended Pre K there last year and is in Kindergarten this year.  It seems that most days they have either a short "dance party" where the blast pop music (Lady Gaga, Train, Taio Cruz - dynamite, etc...) and they also play it while they have some gross motor activity in the gym.  I feel like this is not really age appropriate for 5 year olds.  In fact some of the lyrics are pretty questionable (for 5 year olds) in my book, though none of them are explicit or anything.   I love a wide range of music, but I have curtailed my listening significantly around my kids.  I stick to classical and softer music that has kid friendly lyrics.  Also, my daughter actually does not even like the pop music and comes home complaining about it.  She says that all of the other kids like that music though and seem to know all the words. 

Is pop music in the classroom just typical these days?  I sure don't remember listening to Duran Duran at school when I was a kid.  Would I find this happens at any school?  Do I just need to chill? If not, what would you do about it?  Is it worth talking to the teacher or principal about it or will I just come off as a crazy uptight parent?

[whatsnextmom]

It's not typical here. My kids pretty much only learned cultural dances with cultural music at their public school (flamenco, ballroom, folk dances, ect.) Occasionally they'd learn a country line dance with a more modern country song and once they put together a "dance through the ages" sort of performance with songs from the 50's, 60's, 70's ect. In middle school, they started having occasional afterschool dances and they play pop music at lunch in high school but it's still pretty carefully monitered.

At 5 it's sort of odd that they are being exposed to artists like Lady Gaga in school. Our pop culture is pervasive enough without kindergarten teachers selling Lady Gaga KWIM?

[claras_mom]

My daughter's public K-1 class certainly had little dance breaks (good way to get the wiggles out), but it was usually kid-friendly music. There's plenty of cool stuff for kids out there--in your place, I'd probably ask about alternatives.

[reezley]

Yeah, I wouldn't like that either.  They didn't do it at my ds's (public) K.  And if they did it often, especially every day, I would ask the teacher about considering alternatives too.

[lindberg99]

The gym teacher sometimes plays music during gym at the elementary school and the after school program plays dance music but it is stuff like the Macarena, Cotton Eyed Joe, etc. I think it is all from some Disney album.

Maybe you could talk to the teacher and offer to make up some CD's of music? It might just be that the gym teacher isn't really picking out this music but rather grabbing what is there. So give him/her something else to grab!

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by lindberg99 
Maybe you could talk to the teacher and offer to make up some CD's of music? It might just be that the gym teacher isn't really picking out this music but rather grabbing what is there. So give him/her something else to grab!

[herenow2]

Thanks for all the validation and suggestions :).  Turns out that "Dynamite" song has the "f" word in it.  Not really what I want my child learning on day 2 of Kindergarten!  I emailed the principal and he, apparently, emailed all of the teachers with music selection guidelines.  We'll see how that goes.  I am definitely a little concerned about the teacher's discretion and decision making.

[TCMoulton]

Originally Posted by herenow2 

Thanks for all the validation and suggestions :).  Turns out that "Dynamite" song has the "f" word in it.  Not really what I want my child learning on day 2 of Kindergarten!  I emailed the principal and he, apparently, emailed all of the teachers with music selection guidelines.  We'll see how that goes.  I am definitely a little concerned about the teacher's discretion and decision making.

I'm pretty sure that there is a kid friendly version of Dynamite because I have heard it several times recently on Radio Disney.

[karne]

Originally Posted by TCMoulton 



I'm pretty sure that there is a kid friendly version of Dynamite because I have heard it several times recently on Radio Disney.

Yes, Stores such as Old Navy often have "cleaner" versions of pop songs playing in their stores.  

[ALittleBitCrunchy]

My kids have this every week as an extra PE/recess and they LOVE it. They use the Kidz Bop version of the songs which are totally clean and swear-free. The kids all jump around and sing and dance and have a blast. It's seriously their favorite thing about school because it's that much fun. In fact, we bought the Kidz Bop dance game for the Wii so they could dance at home. I love seeing them this excited about exercise :)

[herenow2]

Sorry if it came off that I was opposed to the dance break.  I'm all for the movement, just not to songs with expletives in them.  I feel like there is a ton of great age-appropriate music they could do it to.  It seems like the principal has resolved the problem anyway (thankfully!)  Thanks for all the feedback.

[TCMoulton]

Originally Posted by herenow2 

Sorry if it came off that I was opposed to the dance break.  I'm all for the movement, just not to songs with expletives in them.  I feel like there is a ton of great age-appropriate music they could do it to.  It seems like the principal has resolved the problem anyway (thankfully!)  Thanks for all the feedback.

You do realize that the chances are very very slim that a kindergarten teacher would actually play a song full of expletives for her class - I would bet big money that the version she played was the Children's clean version.

[Dandelionkid]

Originally Posted by TCMoulton 



You do realize that the chances are very very slim that a kindergarten teacher would actually play a song full of expletives for her class - I would bet big money that the version she played was the Children's clean version.

Still- I would feel the same way as OP. My kids listen to similar music at home but at least I know where the boundaries are for our family. I wouldn't feel comfortable with anything outside the realm of "G" for my five year old if I am not there to supervise.

[Cyllya]

Originally Posted by herenow2 

 Turns out that "Dynamite" song has the "f" word in it.

Originally Posted by herenow2 

Sorry if it came off that I was opposed to the dance break.  I'm all for the movement, just not to songs with expletives in them.  I feel like there is a ton of great age-appropriate music they could do it to.  It seems like the principal has resolved the problem anyway (thankfully!)  Thanks for all the feedback.

Just because you found a version of "Dynamite" with swearing doesn't mean the teacher played a version with swearing. Pretty much all pop songs have swear-free versions because they can't play swear words on the radio, and the song wouldn't have become popular in the first place without being on the radio.

I can't see anything in a swear-free version of "Dynamite" that seems non-G-rated. There are lots of songs about sex, and they're still songs about sex even after you take out the swearing, but this isn't one of those songs. The topic of the song is just about going to a dance club and dancing because dancing is fun. There's no sex, misogyny, or racism. I guess "Get out the way me and my crew" sounds kind of bossy, and "I'm wearing all my favorite brands" sounds kind of materialistic, but for the most part the worst thing about the song is the terrible grammar, LOL.

Now, if you think the school shouldn't be exposing your impressionable child to such terrible grammar... 

[Imakcerka]

Right, I wouldn't be happy. And yes chances are they wouldn't play the adult version of the songs. However, listen to the words and you'll realize that if you wouldn't say that in front of your kid. Why should they be listening to it at school? And I'm talking about the other lyrics. Lady GaGa is just not kid material. Nor are half the other artists out there no matter what words are excluded. The meaning is still there.

[NiteNicole]

My daughter LOVES (the swear free version of) Dynamite.  LOVES.  She also loves Born this Way, Firework, Perfect and several other pop songs.  She's only heard the kid friendly versions which are really the standard, radio-friendly versions.  There is plenty of pop music I don't let her listen to, but I would assume that if they're hearing it in kindergarten then they are getting the kid friendly edit but you can always ask.  Obviously, if they're dropping the f word or the subject matter is inappropriate, you have a very VERY valid complaint.

There are several pop songs right now that are just really really positive and I like for her to hear those.  She needs to have the "I'm great just like I am" message reinforced and I'll take all the resources I can get.

[Imakcerka]

It's all what you're comfortable with. You don't lose your right to parent during school hours.

[herenow2]

Yeah, I'm just not down with the song being played at school regardless.  (I really think it was the "f" word version and they just didn't pick up on it.  the principal surely would have said if they had the edited version but he didn't.)  I let my kids listen to some pop music at home too, but like a pp poster said, I can control it then.  I just don't believe school should be a purveyor of pop culture.  There are tons of age appropriate, positive message songs out there.  Whatever happened to Raffi ?  Oh well, it hasn't happened since I emailed the principal.  I am so appreciative to hear other people's opinions though, it has helped me refine mine and feel more comfortable with it.  So, thanks everybody!

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by Imakcerka 

Right, I wouldn't be happy. And yes chances are they wouldn't play the adult version of the songs. However, listen to the words and you'll realize that if you wouldn't say that in front of your kid. Why should they be listening to it at school? And I'm talking about the other lyrics. Lady GaGa is just not kid material. Nor are half the other artists out there no matter what words are excluded. The meaning is still there.

I mostly listen to country and swear words are infrequent, but there a lot of song about drinking, really unhealthy relationships, and obvious sexual references, so I still end up changing the station often.