I’m torturing my kids. Okay, not technically ‘torturing’ them, but they think I am at times.  I am bound and determined to make them know and appreciate 80’s music. Is it because I think music from the 80’s is the most profound, uplifting, inspiring music on the planet? Um, that would be a ‘no.’ The real reason is that it is about the only thing I can think of that I actually know more about that my kids do.

I had always planned to home school my kids. It was a solid ‘plan’ until I had three kids under the age of five. I was outnumbered in a big way, and they were all smarter than me! Home schooling those ‘spawn of Brad’ would have reminded me of my mental ‘lack-age’ on a daily basis. I sent them all to school.

Besides being brilliant, my kids have always been really good at games. This is just another thing they get from their dad. I remember visiting my sister here in Arizona years ago, and having her teach me how to play Canasta. I was so excited to go home and play with the kids. It was a game that I knew how to play and they didn’t! We played twice before they started kicking my butt. I wouldn’t want them to be the village idiots, but…..give me a break!

This must be why I feel such a sense of pride in knowing most of the songs on the 80’s channel when we drive around town. I’ve started teaching them how to recognize the different trademark sounds of the different groups. I have to say, it was fun feeling like a musical Guru of sorts.  Pride cometh before the fall…

Today, as we drove to my nieces birthday party across town I thought it would be fun for the girls to ‘test’ my 80’s knowledge. I gave them my phone, with Shazam open, and proceeded to guess the name of each group/band as the songs played. They used Shazam to see if I was correct. Guess what? I’m an idiot. I didn’t get more than 2 right out of 8! I was a bit frustrated to say the least, but I covered well I think. I told them the radio must have been playing all the 80’s groups that were ‘one hit wonders’, there was no need to remember THOSE groups…. cause I said so.

Photo credit: http://www.monroemisfitmakeup.com/2011/12/fotd-80s-makeup-inspiration.html