Monday, February 20, 2006

Baby Mozart vs. Kool & the Gang

All the baby books swear by it.

The experts all endorse it.

But why do my girls cry when they hear it?

I'm talking about "Baby Mozart".

You've heard it. If you're a parent, you have at least one CD or DVD of it, either by gift or purchase.

It's basically Mozart, but "modified" for babies. It's slower, or played with cute instruments, or shortened.

[Click here for a sample of Baby Mozart music]

It's supposed to help with kid's development, and make kid's smarter.

During the first few months of life, the girls would listen to it, but weren't really into it.

They were always more devotees of Sesame Street (click here for the story about that, "The Horror, The Horror").

Now, at six months of age, Katherine and Caroline don't go for Baby Mozart at all.

More to the point -- they hate it.

When it's played, they fuss.

They cry.

They just don't like Baby Mozart!

No, what the girls really like is:

Kool & the Gang.

Kool & the Gang
(click on photo for larger view)


Yeah, you heard me.

Kool & the Gang -- that soul/R&B/funk band from the 70's and 80's.

Any Kool & the Gang song is guaranteed to elicit a smile from Katherine and Caroline.

They start waving their arms and legs wildly.

The beat just seems to appeal to them.

[Of course, having Daddy dance around like a fool when Kool & the Gang come on the stereo doesn't have anything to do with them liking the music, I'm sure!]

We won't give up on the classical music to be sure.

We will continue to play Baby Mozart, just in case it does make kids smarter!

But for this week, at least, in the Lim household, there's a Celebration going on:

(Click here, and sing with me, feel free to dance, or at least hum along!)

"There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you."

YA-HOO!



Caroline groovin' to the sounds of Kool & the Gang!
(click on photo for larger view)



Katherine dancing to the music!
(click on photo for larger view)

3 comments:

Amy75 said...

Well, that explains Katherine's curly hair!

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah said...

I say whatever works.

My kids went through a Hendrix phase at about that age. I still make them listen to baby Mozart (and regular Mozart for that matter) but we also listen to an awful lot of Laurie Berkner.

Marine Wife said...

Your girls are so adorable! I have a 5 yr old and a 21 month old and they like to rock out too.
(I accidently came across your blog, but love it.)