... how do you deal with this.
i dont mean listening with ear buds on. but actually playing music that you can hear.
how do manage this?
i need help to guide ex. he rarely allows dd to listen to her music.
there is no option of closing her door and he not listen. he has super sharp hearing and the walls are thin.
Perhaps a compromise between allowing the music and expecting consideration of others' preferences, such as a "loud hour" where she can play the music for an hour (and others can wear headphones, sit outside, or grin and bear it) and any other time the music must be kept private to the listener? This would show respect to the child's desire to branch out and be considered in the household but also maintain the expectation of respect for others in the house. I hope you find a solution. Good luck!
Tactics we use in our home/car:
headphones are best
find music we can all enjoy/ take turns choosing music
keep the volume way down... doesn't mean it can't be heard at all but is much easier to ignore
dd can play it in her room at an acceptable volume
limited time to play that music... big difference between a few songs and 3 hours
person who doesn't want to hear it can wear ear plugs, noise canceling headphones or turn on a white noise machine for awhile
I can see not wanting her to play it loud, but I can't see why he doesn't want her to play it in another room softly where he can only hear it because he has sharp hearing. It's probably harder because it's an ex. I'd tell my husband to get over it LOL. But you can't have the same conversation with an ex I imagine. Really the solution is for him to relax, or wear headphones and listen to his own music if he doesn't like hers. It's a bit control freaky to not want someone else to listen to music to that extent - where it's just a case of thin walls and sharp hearing that makes you hear it at all.
I remember, as a kid, we were not allowed to play any of our "noise", as my Dad called it, anywhere that he could hear it. He didn't like us listening to it otherwise, either. The "prefered" music was classical. Proper music. And I'll tell you - both of us resented it, and it took a long time for me to be willing to listen to classical music by choice.
With my kids... there was music we all liked, what I liked, what they liked. I refused to do what my parents did, so I let them listen to what they liked - with one proviso. We all had to respect one another by keeping the volume at a reasonable level (this didn't mean so no one else could hear it, but so that everyone could still think at the same time. Headphones, my rule was always - if I can hear it when you have headphones on? It is too loud. Period.
There were also times when we each got a choice of music in the car, or around the house. I found that some stuff they listened to, that I didn't think I'd like? Was actually pretty good.
And my Mom? Especially once my son developed a real love of music - of all types... made a point to ask to listen to what he enjoyed. He'd make her CDs, she'd listen, then they'd discuss. A lot of times, she would tell him that she liked the lyrics, but not the music. Sometimes the other way around. He was willing to listen to music that she enjoyed as a result. Now? He is well on his way to becoming an accomplished composer in his own right, of New Music. I like to think that the tolerance shown helped him along his path.
One of my kids has extreme sensory issues including auditory sensitivity, (sounds really make her crazy and stressed) and so all music/tv/games in our house are by mutual consent OR on headphones.
Both my kids have very nice headphones. 
If she doesn't like listening with ear buds, try a different style. Depending on what device she is playing the music on, wireless headphones might be an option. May be a Nano would help save the peace.
But I personally don't think that anyone should have to listen to stuff they don't want to -- especially if it drives them crazy.
I've also observed that when ex's avoid telling the other one what the rules should in the their own home, life ends up smoother for all involved. 
But I personally don't think that anyone should have to listen to stuff they don't want to -- especially if it drives them crazy.
I have a problem with this attitude. if that was so then i would never have been able to listen to my music or radio station growing up. my parents tolerated my music till they reached a point. what really drove them crazy was me playing one song over and over again. but they still hung in there. i also listened to my father's music along with him. and to date that kind of music is special to me. of course some of the stuff i drove them crazy with? i cringe at some of the music i liked.
I've also observed that when ex's avoid telling the other one what the rules should in the their own home, life ends up smoother for all involved.
i dont know if i will ever find a way to do this. i find it really sad that dd is the one who has to always stand up and speak up. with certain things she has to suffer till she has the courage to speak up. these days music is a coping strategy. the tween thing coming on. she has nice headphones and ear buds but she really doesnt like them in/on her ears. they hurt after a while. she has really sensitive ears (feels pressure on them easily, etc).. it would be nice if he allowed her to listen to her kind of music. he does not have a hearing issue. he just doesnt care for the type of music she listens to.
i dont know if i will ever find a way to do this. i find it really sad that dd is the one who has to always stand up and speak up. with certain things she has to suffer till she has the courage to speak up. these days music is a coping strategy. the tween thing coming on. she has nice headphones and ear buds but she really doesnt like them in/on her ears. they hurt after a while. she has really sensitive ears (feels pressure on them easily, etc).. it would be nice if he allowed her to listen to her kind of music. he does not have a hearing issue. he just doesnt care for the type of music she listens to.
Have you told him he's being a jerk? 'Cause he is. If THIS is how she copes? Maybe she won't decde to rebel against his (ridiculous) restrictions in a few years in more serious ways. Seriously not a hill to die on, IMO.
Out of curiousity - what does she listen to? How about him?
mtiger dd will start counselling soon. i am hoping the cousellor/therapist will be able to work with the parents too.
i dont think ex means to be a jerk. i dont think he has an idea of what music means to dd - least of all that its a coping mechanism. anything i say he takes it as judgement on his parenting. doesnt mean he doesnt love his dd. he will do anything for her - but he just does not get it. he does not 'get' her on some levels.
she listens to awolnation, Pink, Adele, 99 cents
he listens to Leonard Cohen, Pink Floyd, and local bands (from what dd has told me about the music he listens to).
Sadly she does this too much. she has to compromise a lot. i think music is the last straw. and particularly this issue has become a big problem for her.
really i think this is not just about music. its more about one more area where her opinions dont matter. i hope this does not affect dd's relationship with her dad. THAT is the crux of my concern. I hope it doesnt go down that way, but its like watching a train wreck in slow motion and unable to stop it. since he cant listen to me, i am hoping the counselor will handle this.
btw she DOES have special headphones. she got them for christmas. probably not bose. yet it still hurts the outer shell of her ear after a while.
One_Girl dd would have gone crazy had i not empathised with her. we do role model conversations a lot so she can bring up issues with her dad that are bothering her. she would cut down time with her dad if he would let her. she'd rather spend the day with him and the night with me. but he takes that as an insult.
really i think this is not just about music. its more about one more area where her opinions dont matter. i hope this does not affect dd's relationship with her dad. THAT is the crux of my concern. I hope it doesnt go down that way, but its like watching a train wreck in slow motion and unable to stop it. since he cant listen to me, i am hoping the counselor will handle this.
It will effect their relationship. We've seen it before... especially with dads who aren't living with their child full-time. Little girls grow up. They get more private. They have more activities (band, theatre, sports) and want to spend more time with friends. Of course, those things happen when? On weekends which is when most kids are with dad. Dad sees it as a personal rejection and as cutting into his time. He's not there during the week. He doesn't know their the same, busy, more private kid with mom too. Dad starts trying to control what he can control... like music. Kid gets angry. They fight. The good thing is, the dads we've known that have had previously strong relationships with their kids, do get them back. They just have to go through their growing pains.
If she has headphones, really, what else can be done? It's his home. You aren't there. If you've expressed her frustration. If she's expressed her frustration. If he doesn't care... well, then I guess she needs to live with this aspect of her life until he starts seeing reason. She gets cranky enough, he may decide it's not a hill to die on. Family counseling might help if there are other issues too. Good luck to your DD.
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