Songs to share with your child

Songs that have been considered helpful to younger clients that I've worked with

Sometimes a parent wants to reach out to their child but they don’t know how; but they know talking just won’t cut it in this particular context. Sharing music, art, literature or films can be a valuable way to help build a connection.

The following list of songs is not exhaustive - please drop your suggestions into the comments below - but sharing the right song, could be a gentle way to communicate tenderness and understanding when you need to. A song can communicate a message of understanding that can be non-combative but can also remind a young person of the universality of their experience. It doesn’t matter if the song is old, good art is timeless. Of course plenty of kids might laugh this off - and yet they will know that you are sending love and that can have its own power.

Hurt –– Johnny Cash

Rise –– Public Image Limited

Like a Rolling Stone –– Bob Dylan

Positively Fourth Street –– Bob Dylan

Trouble So Hard –– Moby

Something Inside So Strong –– Labbi Siffre

Don’t Give Up –– Kate Bush & Peter Gabriel

Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down) –– Chumbawamba

Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) –– Baz Luhrmann

Mean –– Taylor Swift

Heroes –– David Bowie

I Saw It –– The Barenaked Ladies

Jeremy –– Pearl Jam

Creep –– Radiohead

I Will Survive –– Gloria Gaynor

Hold Your Own –– Kate Tempest

Another Brick In The Wall –– Pink Floyd

Everybody Hurts –– REM

Not Afraid –– Eminem

Ask –– The Smith

At Seventeen –– Janis Ian