One of the comments I really liked from the Dan Zanes interview was the following:
As long as you know that it might feel a little funny at first, the main thing is that everybody throw themselves into it in any way they can and that they shed their inhibitions. That's easier said than done, but the reason I love being in the world of new parents is because they're really doing that every day. They're doing things they've never done before every day, they're in semi-embarrassing situations...
Which makes the attitude of Jon Glaser in this New York Times article a little depressing. If you're not willing to buy the soundtrack for Garfield: The Movie to get a song you really like (not your kid, you) because you're afraid of how it might look in the future, you've got a long parenthood ahead of you. (Yes, I realize attitudes are exaggerated for comic effect, but still.)
Chris Ott's article for the Village Voice at least is honest about his attempt to influence his kid's musical tastes. He realizes that he's "programming his kid," but at least he seems not to be doing it because it's cool, but because he likes the music. (And at least he recognizes that "Puff the Magic Dragon" will play a role in his kid's musical experience, too.)
