WHAT OUR KIDS THINK OF US

Posted by: Kurt on 29 June 2004

My lp only hi fi is set up in the living room. I like this arrangement as my three children ages 6-11 then get to hear the music; I am contributing to their overall education by exposing them to Gregorian Chant thru the White Stripes. In fact, I'm holding off on building the listening room addition for just this reason.

Most times I successully listen thru the background noise of the house; kitchen noises, someone walking thru the living room, etc. (I have this theory that the better the hi fi, the easier it is to listen with minor background distractions, but this is meat for another post.) I sit listening on the sofa many times with my eyes closed.

And the other night it was boy's night. This is when mom and daughter are out of the house and my two sons and I cook dinner. Boy's night is a great time to crank up the music. So my 6 year old said something to the effect, "Dad, are you going to sit on the sofa with music on with your eyes closed? After all this is boy's night, and we want you to ride bikes with us." And it suddenly hit me, what do my kids think of my fondness of sitting on the sofa pretty much tuned out with a silly grin on my face as I listen? Then I got paranoid and thought, wow, am I sending out some sort of condenement to this type of behavior? I mean, I must look pretty ridiculous sitting there in my trance state. If my kids did that, I would say something like hey, go out and ride a bike or practice the piano!

I did ride bikes after listening. Any similar guilt pangs?

Kurt.
Posted on: 29 June 2004 by Mike Hanson
I think your general approach sounds fine. You have an appreciation for music, and that's something that I wished everyone could have. Most people look at it as background noise, which is quite sad. As with all things, though, it's good in moderation. Don't expect your kids' interest to be as consistent and intense as your own. Kids want to do lots of "fun" things, and sitting in one place for too long is about as much fun as meditating on nothing (supposedly a laudable pastime for "grown-ups").

My son is coming up on 5-months-old, and when he and I are alone I often try to sit in from of my system with him on my lap. He seems to appreciate it for a while (anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour), but eventually he starts to get antsy. At this point, we do something else. If it were something that I forced him to do, then he's not going to learn to appreciate it, is he?

-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Posted on: 29 June 2004 by Rasher
Welcome Kurt.

Strange that you hadn't picked up on this before now.
There has to be time for it all, but what gives for me is that when I play my kids some music at home, it has to be up-beat stuff that gets us dancing and laughing. I can't imagine much room for "listening" at home, and the sort of stuff that my 6 year old daughter likes to sit to and appreciate mostly happens in the car (current favorite is Zwan). I have to spend at least 2 hours every Saturday with the kids in the car - and this is when we fight over what we are going to take with us - which is great, because she knows what she likes and it's far from what it might have been! My little boy who is coming up to 2 especially loves the Chemical Brothers. My daughter likes metal. I am getting concerned about volume levels for kids though.
Posted on: 02 July 2004 by JohanR
A friend of mine was once alone with his two sons, then about three to five years old. A good time to crank up some music when the wife's not around to complain, he thought.

After a minute or so the sons came in to the room with fingers in their ears "Daddy, don't play so loud!".

This week my neighbours are away on holidays...

JohanR
Posted on: 07 July 2004 by Dobbin
About 4 weeks ago my 18 month old son manged to press play on my CDX and then proceded to turn the volume know on my 252 to its limit!

Thankfully we were on hand to (literally) dive across the room to turn it down. Remarkably child and B&W 805 sigs have lived to tell the tale - although to be honest we were initially scared shitless that he'd damaged his ears.

Needless to say - an clearly against normal operating procedures the hi-fi remains switched off when not in use. Regardless of the attendance of an adult.

Just out of interest it was VERY loud and sounded crap!
Posted on: 07 July 2004 by Bob McC
When my eldest was toddling we put a fireguard in front of the Hifi! Later his sister still managed to wreck a Karma I had though. They have survived, just, to their current ages of 18 and 13!

Bob
Posted on: 07 July 2004 by seagull
Its funny, when seagull junior (15) was young I did the same! Mrs S thought I was insane but now I know there are two of us!

Miss S (now 4) is much more respectful, she doesn't go near the LP12 but did learn how to play CDs on the CD5 when she was 2.
Posted on: 07 July 2004 by MichaelC
Alex

Be afraid, very afraid
Posted on: 07 July 2004 by Martin D
"Just out of interest it was VERY loud and sounded crap!"
That'll be those B&W's then
Big Grin
Posted on: 08 July 2004 by Rasher
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dobbin:
About 4 weeks ago my 18 month old son manged to press play on my CDX and then proceded to turn the volume know on my 252 to its limit!Needless to say - an clearly against normal operating procedures the hi-fi remains switched off when not in use.QUOTE]
So you left a CD in the player? tut tut Roll Eyes Can't you just use the mute and switch it to an unused input as an added precaution?
It must have been scary Big Grin What was the CD?
Posted on: 14 July 2004 by Dobbin
I did leave a CD in the player Roll Eyes I know - squishing those little rubber rings in the puck! I think the CD was some dance/D&B thing. Not nice for child, parents or speakers!

I don't think mute/unused channel would be that foolproof as young fingers and an exploring nature seem to succeed in the end. Alas it's the power switch and extended warm up times.
Posted on: 14 July 2004 by Rasher
But surely with the combination of mute, an unused source channel & the volume turned down (& no CD in the player), it would be very unlikely to happen again.
Posted on: 14 July 2004 by Dobbin
True!

However I'm now paranoid. His ears are more important than my Naim being warmed up.

Maybe I'll remove the fuse from the plug, or undo the interconnects, or turn the rcd off, or send him to granny's, or.....hide all my cds!