Bad Influence

I like to get down as much as the next Mommy. If not more. I am frequently known to shake my money maker (though when I do, I make no money). Usually, it goes down like this:  I am in my living room with my sons and I scream, "Dance Party USA!" I pump up the volume and drop it like it's hot. The toddlers at my side begin gyrating and slam dancing- sometimes simultaneously.

(Please note: This is different from "Kissy's Musical Review," which begins with some Candor and Ebb, a Fosse isolation or two, followed by a boisterous '5, 6, 7,8!)

This morning (instead of going to church) I threw one of my 'Dance Party USA's.' We were bouncing around like uninhibited American young hipsters who say no drugs but yes to MTV. "Like the way you Lie," with Rihanna and Eminem came on. I was playing the part of Rihanna (and doing really well with my upper register) and my sons were alternating with Mr. Mather's lyrics (which can be challenging if you are not yet fluent in English). I was singing and dancing and having a humdinger of a good time. Well you can imagine my disappointment when both my sons STOPPED dead in their tracks mid-song. The little one's double-chinned jaw actually dropped. They sat mesmerized. I stopped too. And turned to the TV- the video (which I had never seen) was disturbing for a Sunday morning discotech! That sexy Meghan Fox was being body slammed against a wall by the dwarf like guy from Lost. There was fire involved in the altercation as well (and I am STRICT about playing with fire). What the...?!? I turned the channel, making a mental note that this video was definitely not produced by Pixar or the like. Next channel.... 'Alejandro' by the Lovely and talented Lady Gaga. I am clearly lagging behind on my video watching. This one was new to me as well. And also not for children. What was a dancing parent to do?

Luckily, my boys' father woke and saved me from my parenting debacle. He suggested we go to a local park with Kiddie rides. My sons' innocence had been restored as they went round and round on a cute little truck built for two.
But as we snapped a picture... I noticed something almost as disturbing as Lady Gaga's 'choreography'....
The truck was a rolling advertisement for CAMEL cigarettes whose license plate also read HI- 069.

It wasn't yet noon and my kids been bombarded with: re-enacted domestic violence, simulated sex,  cigarette endorsements, drug references and math related sexual positions.

Next week, maybe we should consider church?