Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Wrong Turn

Bandit, our 17-year-old dog, and I were out for our usual, excruciatingly slow stroll this bright afternoon. On our route we saw a gaggle of itty bitty girls on the playground practicing a cheerleading/pom routine. (We never had anyone on a Mighty Mite team, so my understanding of the cheerleading/pom/football paradigm is very limited.)

While Bandit was slowly making the turn toward home, I had time to watch these maybe 6- and 7-year-olds follow a young woman demonstrating a dance routine.  The girls were very cute and very bouncy. And they were dancing and singing to the sanitized version of Cee Lo Green's hit "F**k You.

The song goes like this:
I see you driving 'round town
With the girl i love and i'm like,
Forget you!
Oo, oo, ooo
I guess the change in my pocket
Wasn't enough i'm like,
Forget you!
And forget her too!

I'm not a hip hop fan, but I know the song from watching Gwyneth Paltrow sing it on Glee. And I've watched Cee Lo sing it on YouTube. It's catchy. And bouncy. And rhythmic. And I can maybe see where one adult might hear pom routine and another would say, "HELLO, LYRICS?"

Words are important, especially if you are dancing to them. Especially if you are little.

The whole thing was disconcerting, I must confess.

Frankly, my dears, I'd like to know what you think, so leave me a comment.

(I will add that I am quite certain this is a private, non-school sponsored club.)


6 comments:

BFL said...

BRAVO! Agree 100%! Furthermore, I never have understood the mothers who insist that their young girls do beauty pageants or Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader crap. There is no self-esteem to be gained from these and similar "activities."

Lynn said...

I am at a loss for words. How can any mother think this is OK for their little one, and how is it the coach also thinks it's appropriate? There is nothing cute about it. (I happen to like that song, but I only sing it at the top of my lungs when I'm alone in my car when somebody in my life has ticked me off). I'm with you and BFL 100% on this one, Wrong Turn is right.

Kathy and Freddy said...

no comment

Sharon said...

Have you heard about Toddlers and Tiaras? What is this world coming to--- those moms should be locked up,

Kathy and Freddy said...

now I have a comment. But I can't leave it because it casts aspersions on Naperville.

Naperville Now said...

Well, I'm assuming the pom instructors chose the music. And the parents have no idea, tho IF the kids do that routine in front of famiilies this year, I so want to be watching the crowd reaction.