Q: My 14 year old son keeps singing Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, around the house, in the car, at the dinner table, etc. He loves to sing and was just accepted into his new high school’s elite chorale group for next year. While I want to support his creative endeavors, I also recognize that singing Shape… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Ask the Mediatrician
Tagged: Music
Does Listening to Classical Music Distract Kids from Learning?
Q: I love listening to classical music and believe that it helps me quiet my thinking and focus. I often have it on, even while my 8 and 7-year-olds are doing their homework. My question is, does classical music distract from their learning? ~ Baffled about Bach, Fort McMurray, Alberta Canada A: This is a… Read more »
Do today’s media play a role in teen anxiety and depression?
Q: I am working on a project about adolescents in this century. I am curious why there are so many more cases of anxiety and depression within teenage groups these days. Do media play a role in this? Have antidepressants and anxiety medications helped or hurt youth? ~ Stressed Or Saddened, USA A: Dear SOS, Depression… Read more »
How do we get the laptops, smartphones and tablets out of our kids’ bedrooms?
Q: We would like to get devices (smartphones, laptops, kindles, tablets) out of our kids’ bedrooms, but we don’t know how to do this. They use their laptops for homework and smartphones for music and as alarm clocks. Do you have any good suggestions on how to implement this change? Our oldest is now 18 and… Read more »
Media Moment: Dance Inspiration at a Very Young Age
Dear Reader, Welcome to August’s Media Moment! This month, Richard Chalfen, a CMCH Senior Scientist, shares a story about parents realizing that they need to increase their monitoring of their toddler’s media use. These stories are meant to help create a village square of commiserating and co-celebrating the many ways media intersect with the lives… Read more »
How can my six year old explore music on her own without being exposed to inappropriate content?
Q: My six year old loves music, and I would like her to have something digital with which to listen to a variety of good music. I want her to have a certain level of independence as she explores her musical tastes, but I don’t want to get her something too advanced. My husband often… Read more »
When streaming music for my kids, how can I make sure the content is appropriate?
Q: We like to stream music from Pandora for my kids, who are in first and second grade. Pop dance music is fun and upbeat, and my children love it. But there is a big jump in maturity from Laurie Berkner and Kids Bop to Today’s Top Hits. And though there are lots of controls… Read more »
Is having music on in the background harmful to toddlers?
Q: I recently read that exposure to background media (TVs, computers, etc.) can affect a child’s development. Is this true for music as well? I play classical music, light rock, and NPR in the background throughout the day with our toddler. I thought it would be good for her. Is it potentially not so good? -Background… Read more »
Making ‘friends’ with your children’s media—and how it can help you parent
The Mediatrician® contributed to the following post on A Platform for Good, the Family Online Safety Institute's resource page and blog. Last winter, a father read an angry letter his 15-year-old daughter had posted on Facebook. In response, he put nine bullets into her laptop and posted the video online. Within weeks, it had garnered millions… Read more »
What should I do when my 8-year-old won’t stop asking me for a cellphone and other gadgets?
Q: My 8-year-old son sees a lot of kids around him with iPods, iPads, video games, and phones, and keeps asking us for them. Even though we have explained that he doesn’t need all of these electronics and expose him to lots of other activities, the peer pressure is getting to him. What can I… Read more »
