Home and Living

It should be a scene in a horror movie. You walk into the room of your sweet, lovely daughter, suspecting nothing and spot it – a poster for her favorite rock band displaying a graphic of, well, the things that rock bands represent. How do you deal with it? Does it warrant an intervention? Where did you go wrong? First, calm down. Dealing with it is simple: you ignore it, and here’s how.

It Doesn’t Mean What You Think

In the first place, your daughter chose the band poster because she likes the band. She didn’t choose the band because it had the most outrageous band poster. In the second place, she chose the band for a variety of reasons that have nothing at all to do with the things depicted on the band poster.

She might like a certain song that they play, or the drummer is really cute or (and this is most likely) all the other girls like this band. She’s probably just bonding with the girls she knows − the girls you’ve met and approved of, the girls whose parents share your sensibilities and values. Just remember that if she has anything to hide, it’s not hanging on her wall. Check under the bed.

What It Bodes for Her Future

You may not believe that it won’t affect her future in any way that’s bad. Here’s a scientific way to prove to you that it won’t. Think back to when you were her age. Now think of the band poster that was on the wall of your room. Maybe it wasn’t on the wall of your room, maybe your parents weren’t as cool as you are, but you had a band poster, didn’t you? Can you see the band poster in your mind? Can you remember how much you loved that poster? Good, now, how did you turn out?

She’ll be fine, because in spite of how it looks, her biggest influence is you. You are teaching her all of the life lessons that you want her to know, right? If not, consider the band poster a wake up call. A band poster is just the way she connects to her contemporaries and to her current culture – basically, her connection to everything in her world minus you. Have you got perspective now?