Kids These Days: 10 reasons why you should take your children to see Lizzo 

I pulled my kids out of school for two days and drove them to another state for a Lizzo concert; thanks to my cousin Sarah who hosted us, got us floor seats, and made us pancakes. #GoddessEnergy #CousinsWhoKickIt 

I have discovered Lizzo over and over again for the last decade. My children know her music. My trio — Adrian, Azzy, and Frida Hallelujah — are growing up as I did in some ways, fully embracing hip-hop, discussing censorship, the power of words, stories, and music. 

My father loves music and when I was a kid he expose me to everything from Curtis Mayfield, to Aretha Franklin, to 2Pac to Beethoven. A few weeks ago I was at my parents’ house and he was introducing me to a violinist he recently stumbled upon via YouTube. My dad makes holidays about music, and special occasions about music, and great conversations about music. 

I’d like to think this love of music is something I share with my father and will pass on to my children. 

1. The number one reason you should take your kids to see Lizzo is not just the music it’s the message. 
2. The music is sex-positive. Being a sex-positive parent isn’t about having the talk with your kid one time, at some point, it’s about exposing your child to representation of sexuality that is celebratory and self-determined. sex positive parenting is making space for questioning and de-stigmatizing sex to avoid reinforcing the idea that sex is inappropriate or taboo. 
3. The music is body positive and not in a passive or singular way that center Lizzo, but in a magnificently expensive way that includes everyone. Lizzo isn’t just singing about how great it is to be thick and juicy she is also anti-fat shaming standing proudly against fatphobia she is anti-ablest and willing to learn from Neurodivergent and disabled communities. 
4. Sprinkled throughout three hours of extravagant music, costumes lighting video and dance were strategically placed pro-choice messages that included things like my body my choice on protest signs in the opening act. Our daughters need to know there is more way than one way to stand up for their rights. Every revolution has its music.
5. Celebrating an artist who looks like and represents what Lizzo looks like and represents is something our children need to see a still intentionally. This is about setting a good example. We have the opportunity that so many generations did not we get to introduce our young people to a range of artists of different backgrounds and identities at a time and folks across the country are debating whether or not to ban books we can’t take someone like Lizzo and her art for granted. 
6. Several times during the show Lizzo asked my children to repeat her mantras of affirmation and positivity of love and healing. And my children lit up doing it. 
7. Other moms/parents/families are doing it. One of the most affirming things about being at a Lizzo concert with your children is the range of people in attendance all kinds of families, all kinds of people. it was a space for chosen family for cousins and aunties and best friends. This concert was a hotspot for everything from moms in sequin pants to teenagers rocking oversized hoodies.
8. My children sing along to the lyrics “Black people made rock ‘n’ roll” with so much joy I thought I might cry. They sang so loud a little part of me thought their voices reverberated through history to soothe the souls of our ancestors. There’s nothing like hearing lyrics like that song loudly and proudly in the voice of a child. 
9. Parents and children alike need art. As a child your creative thinking is your critical thinking Lizzo is one hell of an artist. She does everything from singing and dancing to rapping and playing the flute. 
10. Lizzo was my eight-year-old’s first concert. Studies have shown that the self-esteem of girls plummets at the age of eight. I believe that both my eight-year-old and my 12-year-old needed to hear an adult spend hours singing to them about all things messy and beautiful with confidence and self-respect. 

So, dear readers:

• The political question for the month of October: how do your politics show up in the stories/shows/music you share with your kids? 
• The parenting question for the month of October: how do you share the music you like with your kids and let them share the music they like with you? 
• The play question for the month of October: my oldest daughter makes a playlist that represents the songs she liked the most that year for her birthday. On our road trip to the Lizzo concert, she played songs that she liked when she was seven and eight she is 12 now make a playlist of the songs your kid likes a lot right now and ask yourself to remember singing along with your kid to their favorite song for now.

Please feel free to email me at [email protected].