The Music Man

As you know, leading educators encourage parents to introduce their children to all types of music at an early age. Music can help stimulate deeper levels of cognition, develop auditory learning, and let's not forget the importance of fostering a love for the artistic arena of different genres of music.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

We just like music around here, simple as that.

I say "we". Actually I am referring only to myself and my middle child. A typical conversation in our van goes something like this...

Child #2: "Mom, can we listen to some music?"

Child #1: "NO! NO MUSIC, MOM! PLEASE!"

Child #3: (just now realizing we're talking about music only because the DVD player is not being used at the moment) Crying, wailing because she's not watching Ariel.

Last year Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jim gave child #2 a Hello Kitty cd player/radio, scoring them pretty major cool points.

Countless mornings I have woken to the sounds of music drifting through the house. It's kind of nice. This is a somewhat more desirable way to wake up than being pounced on in the middle of the night because there are imaginary spiders on the floor.

Our daughter has such an appreciation for music and the arts that last year her Daddy took her on a date to see the Nutcracker.

(YAWN...NOT my thing.) She LOVED it. Sat there captivated for two hours. Talked about it for days afterwards. I was taken to see it when I was a little girl as well. The only response I remember having was, "Wait a minute. There's NO talking in this whole thing?"

But I digress.

Though she loves all forms of music, there is one particular artist my 6-yr-old is quite taken with. This singer has been her favorite for two whole years (which is a pretty long time in kid years. That's over 30% of her life.). Last fall, in fact, Lauren saw her lifelong dream become reality. She was taken to a concert and actually got to MEET her idol at one of his concerts (courtesy my brother-in-law who works with him).

Lauren with her cousin, Katie...also a big fan.

Who is this much loved singer?

None other than Brandon Heath.

She's got taste. I'll give her that. And it sure beats listening to Veggie Tales sing-a-longs for hours on end. Don't even get me started on The Wiggles or Sunday School song cds made in the 80's. What is WRONG with some of those kids singing? They sound like inhaled helium overnight before going into the recording studio.

Most days I hear music coming from her room, it's usually Brandon singing his hits "Give Me Your Eyes" or "Leaving Eden". I'll find her happily drawing pictures or arranging her stuffed animals as she hums along in her room.

One morning, however, I was pretty sure the girls had taken the "Leaving Eden" idea to heart. Angry yells were being tossed back and forth and Lauren was especially upset.

I was forced to intervene.

I walked in upon this scene: Lauren, clutching her Brandon cd and her backstage pass (which is proudly displayed on her bulletin board),

her eyes glaring angrily at her nemesis (aka her big sister). Big sister had that look on her face we know too well (those of us who have big sisters, anyway) that said she was guilty, guilty, guilty of antagonizing the easily provoked little sister.

Lauren, upon seeing me, burst into heartbroken crying. Tears. Puffy eyes. The kind of crying where you can't catch your breath.

What in the world? I looked to her big sister for an explanation. She merely shrugged her shoulders and looked just as confused as I.

Classic big sister, isn't it?

When the truth finally came out and the dust settled, here were the facts:

1. Lauren listening happily to Brandon's songs in her room. Not a care in the world.

2. Enter big sister.

3. Big sister looks around and recognizes an opportunity to have some fun.

4. Big sister makes the one comment she knows is a sure fire way to bring out the wrath of her sister. This is a blow below the belt. Cruel beyond what my child can tolerate. She makes a snide remark about Brandon Heath. I never even got what the actual comment was. It could've been anything, really, from her not liking the shirt he's wearing on his cd cover or that she doesn't like his haircut, it's a mystery. But it was effective.

5. Little sister explodes. WHAT?! How could anyone with ears not think Brandon is the best singer in the whole, wide world and think he is anything other than the most glorious artist in existence today? This is an outrage! A travesty! A fight to the death!

There are a few foundational rules in our house for sister interaction.

*Never hit, bite, or push.

*We do not lie about our sisters.

*We apologize and ask forgiveness and extend forgiveness to our sisters.

And our new addendum...

*NEVER, I repeat, NEVER insult Brandon.

Trust me. You don't want to go there. I pity the fool who someday challenges her choice of boyfriend.