RAWK!

Confession time: the J-Dawg's mommy and daddy are addicted to Rockstar: Supernova. It's true. We're suckers for reality tv and loud guitars. The combination is too much for us to fight. It seems that the little man digs it too. Last week, we were watching in the living room and the boy was playing with his toys when one of the contenders covered Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell." Jasper jumped to his feet and started dancing and smiling. (I think this is the boy's way of voting for Aussie Toby.)

Yesterday, I was working from home during the day covering the phones for emergency holiday coverage. Jasper and I watched some TV together. I don't know about him, but I have a new favorite kids show: Jack's Big Music Show. It's puppets, guitars, accordions, dogs playing drums in a backyard clubhouse with enough wiring to power some pretty sweet amps.

Jasper's been working on playing xylophone and drums lately. A few weekends ago, there was a drum clinic for children held in the garden behind our house. Volunteers helped the neighborhood kids make drums out of buckets. He was the littlest guy there, but not at all shy about playing some beats.

We want him to love playing music. I'm weary of making him take piano lessons where it's an academic exercise. I've got to agree with the mission of Jack's Big Music Show:

In Jack’s clubhouse, music is pure joy—no expectations and no right or wrong way, just music for music’s sake. Or in Jack’s words, “super swell!”