Hey Dads, do you listen to the radio or Spotify? Do your kids? At our house, we’re pretty hip – we have Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, a traditional AM/FM radio, a CD player, and a smart TV with eleventy billion music stations. Frankly, I love music. I love a good podcast. I really enjoy an engaging sermon. I have a favorite station in the car, and I get annoyed when it is different when I get in. Do you know who changes your station when you’re not looking? I think it might be the infamous sock monster that lives in the dryer.
Music, or general audio input from various sources, permeates many portions of each day. Some folks enjoy talk radio or a favorite station at work. Some like to rock out while riding the mower. Some of us have favorite playlists or podcasts for our long car rides, and others frequent a workout mix. Anyone slip on your earbuds for some late-night gaming? I hope you can identify with any, some, or all of the scenarios I’ve quickly noted and agree that audio stimulation is everywhere.
A growing trend is the near constant use of earbuds (or their many variants) to consume our favorite content. It’s convenient in many settings and respectful of others. However, even though we love our <fill in the blank>, there are a few drawbacks that I’d like to discuss today. These drawbacks are areas for all of us to watch. Today’s article is meant to provoke a discussion in your home about what might be right for your house, your family, and your kids. While the sensory stimulation from music, video games, podcasts, and any other audio content can be a blessing, we, as parents, need to consider where the blessing ends and the damage may begin.
First, volume management is important. I know you don’t want to hear that angry rock song or swoony pop song for the 100th time this afternoon – a prime benefit of having your child use a listening device – but, remembering to check in on the volume level when your kids are listening to their favorite tunes, video games, or movies is a must.
Global studies from 2020 indicate that 24% of young people from ages twelve to thirty-five are consistently exposed to sound at unsafe levels.1 It is not a stretch to think that this number continues to rise.
An article published in 2024 by Scientific American noted that two-thirds of children ages five to twelve are regularly using listening devices. The article points frequently to research from Susan Woolford, a pediatric health researcher from the University of Michigan. Woolford notes that hearing loss risks start at a young age, and that younger children are more susceptible.2 Another factor we all need to consider is that children and teens generally have the ability to adjust the volume without adult moderation. More devices, more content, more use, and less moderation all lead to increased risk of hearing impairment. Music is wonderful, even at 60%. Adults should beware, as well; sometimes, our adolescent habits follow us into adulthood (I’m looking at me!).
Content management is important, too. Truth be told, I grew up listening to classic rock and some metal bands during the heart of the grunge movement. I have a fair pop background, thanks to my mother’s taste and the long trips we used to take to grandma’s house. However, it wasn’t until I found Christ that I began to question the lyrics associated with the songs I was listening to. Praise God, the Holy Spirit convicted my heart in several settings! One day, I took a Christian radio challenge – you know, the one where you listen to only Christian music for thirty days. That’s now my go-to station (the one playing in the car when I turn it on – I hope).
Music has wonderful abilities granted by God to move our senses; evoke emotion; assist us in expressing our feelings; energize us; help us grieve; and exhort us to action. Music has played a large part in the story of God’s people. The Israelites sang a great song after the victory over the Egyptians. David made melodies in songs and psalms. As the Lord’s glory filled the temple, the Israelite courts were filled with praise, using instruments made by David for this very occasion. Our Lord sang a hymn during His final Passover meal. God has given us music as a sweet gift.
Unfortunately, we (and our children) can get caught up in the latest cultural phenomena and wooed away from music that God would intend for us to enjoy – and into content that may reinforce ambivalent or malicious themes. Something meant for beauty and expression can be tainted and leave stains. As voluminous as the information world is, a significant portion of the content is audio and is being consumed in private, through listening devices. As parents, vigilance is required for image consumption, printed or online-authored writing, and audio content – podcasts, Snapchats, TikToks, and any other content served through the myriad of channels available today.
If our children are wearing hearing devices that muffle or mask what they are listening to, how do we have the opportunity to help them discern whether music or other content is wise to consume? I am trying to talk to our kids about the theme of their chosen content while directly relating the messaging to their frame of mind. It is often my experience that songs are played with significant repetition and that repetition can then potentially shape and inform one’s perception. The pop star of today (or the TikTok phenom) should not hold more sway than the Bible, parents, or your pastor. If we aren’t listening, the content hidden behind those listening devices is shaping the minds of our children.
I won’t delve into what may be right for your household. My storehouses of information are not vast enough to give wise counsel for how to manage your family. Suffice it to say, we should strive to be God-honoring in all we do. I want to spark the discussion in your house. Dads, how are you using music and hearing devices in our day-to-day world? What does that convey to your children? How are they consuming content? Are you intentional about helping your kids discern the right messaging?
Talk with your friends or your pastor, do some research, and think through how music and earbuds may be impacting your home. As dads, we need to b ver vigilant as we bless our children with discernment. Be kind as you reach into this space; grace for all must be abundant to foster a culture of growth. To God be the glory!
- https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/
hometown-health/speaking-of-health/
earbuds-and-hearing-loss, accessed July
15, 2025. - https://www.scientificamerican.com/
article/most-u-s-children-now-use-
headphones-regularly-is-their-hearing-at
risk/, accessed July 15, 2025.
Ed Brown leads Lighthouse Keepers LEAH with his wife, Tricia, and is on the Advisory Board for Homeschool New York.
