by Consuelo Bernardi

Created on: May 09, 2009   Last Updated: May 10, 2009

I clearly remember when I got pregnant with my son Matteo, that I made three promises to myself.

1. I vowed to never ever drive a mini-van with the baby on board sign hanging from the rear window.

2. I vowed to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight 3 months after delivering my son.

3. and finally I vowed to never ever subject myself or my son to those music CDs geared towards babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

Well, I failed miserably at the first two promises [minus the baby on board sign] but I managed to stick to my third. And as a result my son, almost 3, has turned into what can only be described as a 'music snob'.

While most kids his age love listening to the vocal styling's of Barney, Elmo, Dora, The Wonder Pets, The Wiggles and other sing-a-long CDs, my son prefers to get his groove on with Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Radiohead, Bob Marley, Madonna and Paul Oakenfold.

And as his mommy I make no apologies for his diverse musical palette.

I guess blame can be placed on music background. I worked in the radio industry for just a little over 10 years and for most of that time I was a Music Director. [For those unfamiliar with the radio lingo, I essentially decided what music was played and when it got played] So to go from listening to great Rock and Top 40 pop songs on a daily basis to subjecting myself to 'Wheels on The Bus', 'Nicky Nacky Nocky Noo', 'I'm a Cow', 'I Love My Boots', 'Looby Loo', and 'B-I-N-G-O' was never going to happen. It was too much of a musical leap and my sanity was at stake.

So I'll confess all those kiddy CDs that I received as baby shower gifts were donated to a local daycare in town and I put my music intervention plan into action. I loaded up my iPod with a playlist just for Matteo. I still have the very first playlist I ever made for him when he was 3 months old...and let the record show that these songs would comfort and soothe my son into a blissful and uninterrupted sleep:

Erykah Badu: 'On and On'
Bob Marley : 'No Woman No Cry'
Radiohead: 'Kid A'
Luciano Pavarotti: 'Nessun Dorma!'
Andrea Bocelli: 'Con Te Partiro', 'Caruso'
Toto Cotugno: 'L'Italiano'
Dave Matthews Band: 'Crash Into Me'
All Saints: 'Under The Bridge'
Josh Groban: 'You Raise Me Up'
Simply Red: 'Sunrise'
Sam Roberts: 'Brother Down'

So now that I think about it my son really never had a choice but to become a music snob. He has an eclectic taste in music that continues to this day and it spans every musical format from Opera, to Rock, to Pop, to Classical, to Dance and Techno. And I love the fact that he's very particular about what he will listen to, more often than not when we're in the car, I'll hear him say 'Mommy change the radio please, this song is so terrible it's hurting my ears.' [sorry Nickelback]

He loves going through my CD collection asking 'Who is this Mommy, can we listen to it please?' and we do because nothing gets me more excited than watching my son's face light up as he hears a song for the first time and seeing what his reaction will be.

So this musical journey that he and I started on together almost 3 years ago is one that I hope continues for a long, long time or until I hear those fateful words 'Mom the music you listen to sucks, you are like so old.'

Because I know that's coming.

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