Marybeth Hicks knows a thing or two about raising cool kids, or as she explains, GEEKs – genuine, enthusiastic, empowered kids.
Her latest book, “Bringing Up GEEKs: How To Protect Your Kid’s Childhood in a Grow-Up-Too-Fast World,” gives parents real-life advice on how to help kids keep theirs heads in a “culture of cool” rife with celebrity meltdowns, teen pregnancy, and priorities often completely out of whack.
So when every teen on the block is blasting Britney or Amy Winehouse, how do parents help kids make smart, healthy music choices?

Here are some tips from Marybeth:
1. Choose music you can sing along with together — the lyrics shouldn’t embarrass anyone.
2. Share favorite music you enjoyed growing up. (Her daughter recently discovered vintage Billy Joel after asking, “Mom, what did you like to listen to in college?”)
3. Learn about the artists and choose music from folks whose lives/stories you respect — know the source of their artistry.
4. Expose kids to music styles they might not choose on their own — jazz, blues, R & B — even show tunes. (“American Idol,” for example, recently opened kids’ eyes to the beauty of Andrew Lloyd Weber.)
5. Every so often, listen to what’s on your child/teen’s iPod. Talk about their favorites, learn what styles and genres they appreciate, and discuss whether some songs should be nixed if they don’t honor and uphold your values.
Some of her kids’ favorite music artists? Red Umbrella, downhere, Relient K, Alabaster Box, and Switchfoot. Marybeth says she’s partial to CeCe Winans, adding that she has more soul than her kids. “I’m a Detroit girl!” she adds with a laugh.
Most of all, Marybeth says, use music to get to know each other better and enjoy a shared interest. “Music,” she says, “makes life sing!”
“Bringing Up GEEKs: How To Protect Your Kid’s Childhood in a Grow-Up-Too-Fast World” is available now from Penguin Publishing. To learn more about Marybeth Hicks, visit www.marybethhicks.com or www.bringingupgeeks.com.