Dialing Up Music For Parents And Kids (NAPSA)—Parents know that music and entertainmentare a big part of youth culture. But many are also underthe false impression that today’s kid tunes aren’t exactly music to mom’s and dad’s ears. Fortunately, there are plenty of waysto find common ground when it comes to tuning in to favorite songs. Radio personality Ernest “Ernie D” Martinez urges parents to “be open-minded to today’s kids hits and use radio and music as a tool to stay relevant.” He suggests, “Listen to the radio together and talk about the music. See if you and yourchildren have some of the same tastes.” Martinez offers these additional tips for connecting with kids over music: Talk Radio—Talk with children about their likes and dislikes in radio and music but also in fashion, movies and other pop entertainment. “I do this on air when I’m talking to young listeners whocall in,” Martinez says. “A lot of times they just want to share what’s on their mind.” e Yesterday And Today—Talk about today’s artists and how they compare to the artists of your youth. “Talk about how their careers were similar and how fans reacted then,” suggests Martinez. eCommon Ground—Pick music that you both like—old and new. “Expose your kids to ‘oldschool’ music,” suggests Martinez. “Then let them expose you to their favorite groups.” Martinez, a father of three, is an on-air personality and creative director at Radio Disney, a nationwide network with a reputation for kid- (and parent-) friendly programming. Ernest “Ernie D” Martinez hosts a radio show geared toward entertaining both kids and parents. “We have kids help pick the music we play and interact with our on-air personalities overa tollfree phone lineto the studio,” says Martinez. “But plenty of parents get involved, too.” The result is a playlist that includes recording artists that appeal to all ages, such as Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Mitchel Musso. Martinez’ feature program, “Take Over with Ernie D,” also offers in-studio interviews and acoustic performances with artists and invites stars to take over some of his DJ duties, interacting with listeners calling in. “The key is to keep it entertaining for children and parents,” says Martinez. For more information, visit www.radiodisney.com or call the studio at (877) 870-5678.
