A proud moment

cd21miller

There's really nowhere else to post this, but felt that I needed to do it. I'm guessing those of you who are parents will understand why.

I have 2 daughters (9 and 4) who are both heavily into High School Musical, Hannah Montana and all that stuff, which I suppose is part of the deal when you have two daughters of that age. As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time in my own house cringing at what's on TV and coming from their rooms. Still, I have found a way to persevere through the years and when the girls get into my car, they know that PJ is the music of choice. Lately, it's been the Lollapalooza version of "Why Go" (because Mommy and Daddy were there) or "Hard Sun". Whether I just wore them down or they have quality musical taste, the girls have become PJ fans as well. You know you've done OK as a parent when the intro to "Corduroy" comes on the radio and your 4-year-old automatically says, "Corduroy!" They both even sat down and watched Immagine with me when it first came -- a proud night for Dad.

However, here's the best part: Hannah Montana is coming to St. Louis (we live 2 hours away) next week (seriously, hear me out on this...). Radio stations are having contests for tickets, people are freaking out, the usual mass hysteria that goes with the teen crowd. Lots of screaming and shrieks and stuff. (I suppose it's not a whole lot different for us when PJ tours, but for the betterment of us all I will use my "music snobbery" card here and continue to believe that our excitement is much more mature, worthy, etc. than some silly little teeny-bop show.) Anyway, as my 4-year-old and I were coming home today from pre-school, the commercial came on again about Hannah Montana coming. Rylie (so named because we found out her sex at the doctor's appointment on the day I went to see PJ in Kansas City in 2003 and they closed that night with Baba O'Riley -- I had to concede the spelling to make it more "girl-like", but that's another story...), my 4-year-old, suddenly pipes up from the back seat.

"Daddy, I want to go see Hannah Montana, but I REALLY want to go see Pearl Jam."

Tell me if it gets any better than that!

P.S. -- Oh, and I had long ago promised the oldest one that the next time they tour that she could go to a show. I assume everyone else out there is doing their part to supplement the PJ nation with your children?!?!? ;-)

Indian Summer

Enjoy it while it lasts because They'll change when they hit 14-16, and only like Hip Hop and Rap because you don't. Good luck.

pjdmb1

thats awsome!!...i hope that when i have kids they get into PJ too!!!

fleahorse

^^ yeh me too, but im still a fair bit away from having kids

keeponrockin

Indian Summer wrote:

Enjoy it while it lasts because They'll change when they hit 14-16, and only like Hip Hop and Rap because you don't. Good luck.

My dad took me to my first PJ show when I was 14.

I still thank him for that!

Undone

I totally understand the pride. My 10 year old son loves Pearl Jam, the Who, and Foo Fighters; and his first concert was the Rolling Stones (after he remarked during the Superbowl halftime show of Satisfaction, "I like that song, can you burn it for me?"). Also, thanks to Guitar Hero, he knows all the words to Iron Man. My 7 year old daughter on the other hand, insists we turn down our music when in the car and listens to Christmas music all year (I did sneak in Sometimes at Christmas and Let me Sleep and she likes them okay). She doesn't like Hannah Montana only because everyone else does and she has to be contrary to everyone, not just her mother. I expect my son and I will have fun at Pearl Jam concerts in the future, at my husband's expense, but my daughter will be a challenge. Who knows what music she'll enjoy!

newfiegirl

Indian Summer wrote:

Enjoy it while it lasts because They'll change when they hit 14-16, and only like Hip Hop and Rap because you don't. Good luck.

Not necessarily true. My Dad worked as a radio DJ in the 70s and early 80s and has great taste in music. I grew up listening to his music and Saturdays sitting around going through new tracks and making mixed tapes of what we liked was one of the fun things we got to do together just the two of us. We don't have identical tastes for sure, but I have a respect for his music, and never went through any phase as a teenager of liking shitty music just because he didn't.

dontgimmenolip

Indian Summer wrote:

Enjoy it while it lasts because They'll change when they hit 14-16, and only like Hip Hop and Rap because you don't. Good luck.

I don't know about this. My 11 year old son loves Pearl Jam, the Gorillaz, and Mastodon, but he hates Rap because his biological father listens to it. He'd much rather bug me to burn him a copy of Leviathan or Blood Mountain to go next to his copies of Yield and No Code, than do the Crank Dat Souja Boy dog shit.

My 5 year old daughter loves Pearl Jam and Tori Amos, but thanks to Disney's latest iteration of the Jungle Book on DVD, she's hooked on the Jonas Brothers too (nothing like pseudo-emo punks kids ruining King Louie's "I Wan'na Be Like You" - I'd rather hear Louis Prima sing it any day). My 3 year old girl is mildly autistic, and will dance to anything, but seems to think Bad Religion are the greatest thing ever, as she will try to put the Live at the Palladium DVD in by herself.

I may have to worry about my middle child, but I don't see the other two turning to shitty music at any point.

cd21miller

Sadly, doesn't look like I'll be able to take them to any shows in the near future -- looks like 2008 may be a slow year?? I do know this, if one of the girls gets to go, the other will want to go, too. May have a hard time explaining to the 4-year-old why going to a PJ concert may not quite be in her immediate future. Either way, I'm pretty fired up that my kids and I (and my wife, too...just not as "dedicated" shall we say?) have a connection through the music. Pretty cool for me and thanks for sharing your stories!

TransplantedNewf

I lived with my sister and her family for awhile in '99 when Last Kiss was allll over the radio. My 5 year old niece loved it and sang it all the time. Anytime she got in my car, she'd want to hear it so i made sure to listen to nothing but PJ while she was in the car. It totally worked! She was quite disappointed last year when i wouldn't take her to Lolla with me. I promised her as soon as she's legal, i'll take her to any Pearl Jam show, anywhere in the world....i just hope they're still playing in another 4 years.

The moral is, start 'em young! They might stray for awhile...she likes Nickelback too...but she LOVES Pearl Jam.

StoneyChix

I can totally relate..my 4 yr old daughter is obsessed with High school Musical and i have to admit that even though i too enjoy the movies i'm getting just a TAD sick of it. Both my kids are gonna grow up with Pearl Jam flowing through their veins (although my husband would disagree with me on that!!! but who cares!!!)

My daughter is always listening to my MP3 player with me..which is stuffed with PJ tracks, she is TOTALLY aware that Pearl Jam are her mummy's fave band and that we listen to Pearl Jam Cd's in the car..she even knows some words to some songs.Mainly due to the fact that she's been brought up on PJ since i brought her home when she was a baby!!!

Now i have to introduce my one and a half year old son to PJ...Believe me it DEFINITLEY won't take long (really wanna buy him a kids PJ t-shirt..if only they had them!!) I will soon have him singing along to all the songs and knowing EXACTLY who PJ are and why they will always remain the BEST BAND on the entire planet!