Editorial note: Opinions expressed here are solely those of the blogger
Our family has always been one to embrace routines and, especially of late these routines have been a source of comfort. Each evening, we make a point to eat dinner together. My wife Wendy and I will take our dog Astro for a walk before we rejoin our kids – Ethan, 15 and Sasha, 13, to watch something on television. Then, we’ll have what I call “individual activity time” which truthfully means laptops for Wendy and me at a table and our kids with devices on the couch. And it’s from the couch that the music started emanating.
I’d look up from whatever it was I was doing at the time and ask our kids “Wow, guys. Why are you listening to that song?”
And then I realized; the songs were featured as part of TikTok videos. Both our kids are active TikTok users and during the past few weeks, here’s a recounting of songs I’ve heard … well, let’s just say way more than a handful of times.
“Smile” – Lily Allen
First of all, I want to apologize in advance because if you’ve read this far you’ll likely have this song in your head for the rest of the day. Catchy Pop songs don’t get much catchier than this one.
“Paradise,” Coldplay
I suppose it’s hard not to at least like or appreciate Coldplay; it’s not like there’s anything wrong with the band. But by the same token I never quite understood all the fuss people seemed to make about these gents. And hearing this song nightly has done nothing to change my opinion.
“Right Back Where We Started From,” Maxine Nightingale
When I hear this song I mentally go right back (I couldn’t resist) to riding in our family’s battleship-sized Buick during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when it seemed as though the song was always on the radio.
“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” Rod Stewart
OK, so I’m cheating on this one a bit because, while I don’t hear the song in it’s entirety, the melody is featured in a meme our kids have watched quite a bit, which put it back on my radar. This too was a regular staple on the car radio when I was a kid. Out of curiosity I added the song to one of my running playlists and I tell you; it still holds up.
Kidding aside, my wife and I do monitor our kids’ social media activity closely and have had several discussions about best and not-so-good practices. And being interested in social media myself, I ask both our kids a bunch of questions, knowing that their experience using TikTok is so unique, so of their generation and of the moment.
They answer me just like you’d expect teenagers to answer their parents. Quickly, impatiently, so they can get back to TikTok. Away from my lame Dad questions.
I get it; I really do. Their time will come, eventually. So they might as well enjoy this time while it lasts.
Image credit: Kveller
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