Alternative education

If you don't listen to KEXP, you should. And you don't have to live in Seattle, though it helps if you want to listen to it in the car, like I do. I don't know how you'd do that, if you live in say, St. Louis, Missouri for example. You could still listen on the web, or check out their podcasts. But I digress, I love KEXP. Not only do they offer a wide range of music to suite all kinds of tastes, they're publicly funded, so you don't get the limited range of a corporate radio conglomerate forced down your throat 24/7. But maybe you're into that. Even if you are, which would be a little weird, they have offered educational "teaching moments" for my kids on multiple occasions.
First, I was driving Big Dog to school, and as we drove John in the morning decided it was time to give me a flashback to college. So as he played King Missile's biggish hit. If you know it, you might be cringing in preparation for what came next. Well, it was inevitable. About a minute into the song, Big Dog asks, "Mommy, what is a detachable penis?" Yeah, try and explain that.
And then, a few days ago, with both boys in the car, John in the morning played a nice little Wilie Nelson song. You're probably thinking, "Country? Why are you listening to country on your little hipster, alternative, Seattle-based public radio station?" Well, let me tell you this. This song was not quite what I'd expect from Willie Nelson. It happened to be about latent homosexuality in cowboys. Yep. Apparently, cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other. So as I'm listening, grinning to myself about the unexpected lyrics, a little voice from the back seat reminds me that I am not alone. "Big Dog!" exclaims Little Dog, "It's a cowboy song! Get our instruments!" And the two little guys in the back seat were happily strumming their air guitars along with Willie. Then, upon further listening Little Dog paused. "Mama, why would he have a lady inside his head?"
See, it's all about the teaching moments.