Archive for February, 2008

all those tears I cried

February 19, 2008 at 11:15 pm · Filed under Alice says

I recently complained about my daughter’s love and obsession with the music from High School Musical.

But internets?  Oh internets, something happened last week that convinced me there could be hope yet.  Alice was in her nightly bath, playing with a naked Snow White and naked Jasmine (ok, it gets better), while I zoned out next to her on the edge of the tub.  (Word to the wise: an 8 month pregnant mom with nothing substantial at 7PM but Britney Spears’ breakdown on the brain does not make for an engaged parent.  So Alice is usually left to fend for herself when it comes to bathtime play these days, ’cause this mama can hardly keep her head up at night never mind engage in playtime).

Suddenly Alice started singing softly to herself and what came out of her mouth was like candy for my ears, which have been sorely filled with Disney songs as of late.

“oh, oh oh oh, oh, oh, you don’t have to go…”

Say what?  Can you hear that?  Is that not the sound of a high school memory coming back to say hello, a smell of beer and cheap wine on a Friday night in 1990 in a downtown Toronto basement filled with a room of 17 year olds?  Is my child not singing LED ZEPPELIN Jesus lord?

“What was that you were just singing, Alice??”  My heart pounding.  Could it be?  Oh PLEASE let it be!

“This is a song I learned from daycare” she said, making Jasmine dance to D’yer Mak’er.  “Oh oh oh oh oh oh….  Isn’t it a fun song mommy?”

Now I was never an over-the-top Zeppelin fan, but I must admit I did go through my own Houses of the Holy love-fest in high school.  My girlfriends and I used leave the confines of our Catholic all-girls school at 3PM and head over to L’s house, who not only had more freedom than most of us in high school, she also had the Houses of the Holy album.  Which we would play over and over again while discussing how “non-conformist” we were.  Right.

But those were the days of teenage wonder and glee and sadness all tied up together, closely interwoven.  And hearing a song like D’yer Mak’er come out of my 4 year old’s mouth was like heaven for a moment.  High School Musical be damned!  There’s hope for my little friend yet.

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you are the music in me

February 4, 2008 at 12:05 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Ok.  It has happened.  I have MOST OFFICIALLY crossed over the uncool side.  Not only uncool, but the sell-out side too.  And I blame my daughter.  My red/pink/frilly/lacy/all-things-branded/merchandising-loving daughter.  I am a shadow of my former self.  York University called to take back its degree in Women’s Studies, and my former Queen Street West friends have removed me from their speed dial.

Let me explain a bit.

Since turning 4 years old (or even before that, to be honest), Alice has been swept up in all things merchandised.  And the more traditionally “girly”, the more enticing.  Barbie, Disney, Polly Pocket – these are her best friends.  I’ve tried to introduce her to the less offensive ones, the girls with spunk and sass and smarts.  But she shrugs me off.  When I helpfully hand her a little Madeline or Olivia or even Eloise, she shoves a huge book of singing princesses in my face, saying “but this is who I love, mommy!”

And now lately, she has moved onto characters from the terrible most awful franchise called High School Musical.  When she sees the two lead characters dance and sing together, her eyes glaze over in a trance of Disney-love and I want to wrap a hand sewn shawl made by Naomi Klein around her. 

But the worse part?  I’ve allowed it to happen.  I’ve let her watch the movies and go see the ice show because truthfully, this is who my daughter is.   Despite my best efforts for otherwise, Alice truly loves these branded toys.  She loves Gabrielle and Troy.  She loves dancing around to “the music in me” song from that horrible movie, and she loves watching it over and over AND OVER again.

But even worse than the worst part I mentioned above?  Oh god, here comes my shameful secret.  The reason why I feel like a sell-out, and why I will be shaking under the blankets tonight:  somehow through osmosis, I have learned the lines to Music in Me.  As in – it lives in my brain.  And sometimes, while doing the dishes or surfing blogs, I will start singing it.  Disney has entered my consciousness and won’t let me go.  I’m a part of their army now – when the reserves for the Mouse get called up, I’ll have to go willingly.

It’s all over from here.

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