Conference moira::parenting

    I have a 12 year old son -- the two CDs he wants for Christmas are
    Salt 'n Pepper (sp)
    Snoop Doggie Dog
    
    These are not my particular tastes, but it's what he and his friends
    listen to.
    
    Another that she could possibly be interested in is Pearl Jam.
    
    Good luck,
    
    

    Last year, my neice (11) was listening to Mariah Carey
    and Whitney Houston.
    
    Alittle more mellow than Pearl Jam, but tastes vary I'm
    sure. 
    
    Mariah Carey does have a new CD out...
    
    Hmmm...now there's an idea for MY neice's gift! :-)
    
    
    	Linda

   There's always Amy Grant, or some of the other comtemporary Christian
   artists... don't know your faith or hers, but much of the contemporary
   Christian music that has crossed over into the pop charts would, I'd
   guess, be of interest to nearly everybody...
   
   Or, you could always go to your local music store and ask the
   employees about the buying habits of 11 and 12yr old girls.
   
   - Tom

Heather Bishop did a tape called "Bellybutton".  I thought it was pretty
lame when I first heard it, but my (then) 10 year old niece loved it.
She and my (then) 4 year old son were having me play it in the car continuously.
I don't know if there's much difference in 10 year olds and 12 year olds.
I have also heard that Heather has put out a new children's tape.

       Carol

    RE: .1
    
    I don't think I'd purchase Snoop Doggie Dog for a 12 year old girl, the
    lyrics are a bit explicit for my ears and I'm thirty something!  I
    think Mariah Carey, Amy Grant, Whitney Houston, etc.. are better for a
    young girl.  My 14 year old son has Snoop and I was appauled when I
    realized what it was he was singing about....!!!! (nothing anyone under
    18 should be listening to believe me, including my own son!)
    
    

I have a 12 year old daughter and her tastes, as well as
that of some of her friends seems to run somewhere 
between pop and rap. Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson
are big with most these kids. En Vogue, Kenny G, 
Boyz 'n Men are some others. As the previous noter
mentioned you should check out the lyrics to some of it,
especially the rap stuff.

    
    Another option is country music, which is becoming very popular. 
    Garth Brooks or Wynnona Judd seem to be the most popular outside
    of the country scene.
    
    Patty

    My 12-year old daughter has asked for Billy Joel's new tape for
    Christmas along with En Vogue.  She also likes Singing with Sisters (there
    is an abbreviation for this group but can't remember it).
    
    You are right to listen to some of the music as it certainly isn't
    appropriate for 12/13 year olds.
    
    

	Not to mention that Snoop Doggie Dog is facing a murder charge...

    The other option is to just get her a gift certificate to a music store
    -- I did that last year for my 11-year old niece.  Then you don't have
    to worry about getting something wrong... which is the kiss of death
    for some kids!

I agree with the comments about being careful what you give, especially since 
this is done in connection with a church.  There is a lot of music, 
especially rap, that my 13 year old daughter listens to that prompt me to 
grind my teeth, or to say something that gets me in an argument with her.  I 
also agree that the Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson stuff that I've heard is 
fine.  I haven't heard much about Whitney Houston lately; I wonder if she's 
starting to get too popular with the overforties.  If you do a gift 
certificate, make sure it's from a store that is convenient to the recipient.

Clay

    .5  Snoop Doggie will definitely not be purchased.  There is a warning
    label on the package that states explicit lyrics.  Amazing, I just 
    figured it was an OK CD.  I've talked with my son and told him he won't
    be gtting it and not bo buy it on his own.  I haven't found the Salt n
    Pepper CD so don't know if there's a warning on that one or not.
    

    In today's LA Times, it tells of radio stations that have banned three
    commonly used 'derogative' words in popular rap songs.  One local LA
    station says that since more than 25% of the 1.6 million listeners it
    reaches each week are between 12-20, they will ban both the on-air use
    and garble or mask the words from offending songs.  The three words are
    'nigga', 'bitch' and 'ho' (whore).
    
    From the LA Times...
    
    "They (WPWR in LA) said the ban applies to about a half a dozen frequently
    played records, including "Gin and Juice" and "What's My Name" by Snoop
    Doggy Dogg, currently the best selling artist in the country, "It Was a
    Good Day" by Ice Cube and "I Get Around" by Tupac Amaru Shakur."
    
    "Snoop Doggy Dogg is charged with murder in connection with an incident
    in which his bodyguard fatally shot a man from a car the singer was
    driving. Shakur faces sexual assault charged in New York and was
    recently arrested on charges of shooting at two off-duty police
    officers in Atlanta."