Kai Christopher

I will teach in a summer program this summer that recently had its first orientation.

I met some good kids who listened to rap music, watched movies with stupid punch lines and had crushes on each other.

We divided the children into homerooms that created their own name and theme song.

My kids decided they would be the eagles, and that their song was Jim Jones’ “Ballin.” Not one of my favorites, but this is their group.

After the orientation, the parents of one student approached me to discuss a few concerns that they had with me.

Of all the sugar-coated advice they graciously bestowed upon me, the largest concern for me was their opinion of the rap music their son was singing. Her son was singing a song she had never heard before.

Her concern was understandable, but as parents we cannot allow ourselves to be disconnected from the society we are raising our children to engage in.

We do not have to be a part of hip-hop, but we must understand it, to be able to translate our sentiments and wisdom to our children.

Our concern should be preparing our children for society.

We have a surplus of parents who feel they are parenting and are not.

If you have only prepared your child to live in the society you wish for, and not the society we live in, in reality, you have not completely done your job.

And preparing your child from the crap in the media is not only the degrading songs and their music videos.

It is also teaching your child how to discern the news, so that they understand even though every black person they see is a criminal that is not a representation of black people.

Teach your kids about all the devices in the media, that they may have a discerning eye.

And you will not be afraid of the world you are sending them into, for you know they will be equipped with the life skills you taught them.

Then instill in them the confidence to stand up for what they believe is right, so that they will stand in the midst of their peers and be a lighthouse.