Item songs and our Children
🎶 “Item Songs” and Our
Children — Are We Dancing to the Wrong Tune?
I’ll admit it — I love music. From lullabies that once
rocked my babies to sleep, to Bollywood beats that make even the laziest of us
shake a leg at weddings — music has always been part of my family’s life.
But lately, I’ve found myself asking a question I never
thought I would:
What exactly are my children learning from the songs
they hear?
It all began one lazy Sunday afternoon. My daughter was
prancing around the living room, hairbrush in hand, pretending it was a mic.
Cute, right? I smiled and continued scrolling through my phone — until I heard
the lyrics.
She was humming along to a peppy Bollywood track — one
of those item songs that pop up everywhere — and I froze for a moment.
I wasn’t sure whether to laugh, cringe, or start
Googling “parental controls for YouTube.”
That was my wake-up call.
💃 What Exactly
Are Item Songs?
Item songs — those flashy, catchy dance numbers
inserted into movies — are designed purely for entertainment. They have
everything: music, glamour, rhythm, and glitz.
But while adults can (hopefully) differentiate
entertainment from reality, what about our children?
Do they understand that the “heroine” dancing in
revealing clothes is performing for the camera — not setting a standard for how
girls should behave or dress? Do they know that those lyrics aren’t meant to be
life lessons?
That’s when I started thinking more deeply — not as a
Bollywood fan, but as a mom.
🧠 Do Item Songs
Have a Positive or Negative Impact on Children’s Development?
If I were to answer my own poll, I’d say largely
negative.
Children, especially under 10, are like little sponges
— they absorb everything they see and hear. When they see people being
celebrated only for their looks or moves, they begin to associate “glamour”
with “value.”
And the lyrics? Let’s be honest — they’re often not
meant for children.
They glorify sensuality, partying, and attention — all
wrapped in a beat so catchy that we, too, forget what we’re letting play in
front of them.
🎤 The Tamannaah
Bhatia Incident — A Wake-Up Moment for Every Parent
A few weeks ago, I came across an interview that truly
made me stop and think.
Actor Tamannaah Bhatia, in her Lallantop interview,
talked about her viral song “Aaj Ki Raat” from Stree 2. She shared something
that every parent should hear:
“I can’t tell you the number of mothers that
have called me and said,
‘My child will eat food only if he hears Aaj Ki
Raat.’
Because bacche apne diaper mein aise aise hil
rahe hote hai.”
She laughed, adding:
“Mummyo ka concern hai ki bacche khana kha rahe
hai ya nahi? Priorities hote hai. Ek aadha saal mein unko kaunse lyrics samajh
mein aayenge?”
At first, it sounded funny — toddlers grooving to an
item song while moms cheer them on.
But the more I thought about it, the more unsettling it
felt.
Because behind that “cute moment” lies a much deeper
truth — we’ve normalized adult entertainment for children.
A song made for grown-ups is now part of a toddler’s
feeding routine.
And somewhere between the laughter and applause, we’re
letting adult content enter a child’s world without realizing its long-term
effects.
Think about it — when a baby hears the beat of an item
song and starts shaking to it, we call it adorable. But when that same child
grows up equating attention with boldness or dance with validation, we call it
“influence.”
The transition happens silently — one viral dance reel
at a time.
Tamannaah’s story wasn’t just entertainment news. It
was a mirror.
It showed how easily item songs have become part of our
homes — from wedding sangeets to dinner-time playlists — and how comfortably we
let our children consume them.
As a mom, it made me pause and ask myself:
Are we letting catchy beats silence our better
judgment?
👶 At What Age
Should Children Be Allowed to Watch Item Songs?
If you ask me — 16 years and above.
That’s the age when children start understanding that
entertainment doesn’t always equal reality.
Before that, it’s a slippery slope.
A 5-year-old doesn’t know the difference between a fun
dance and a suggestive one.
An 8-year-old doesn’t understand why the camera keeps
focusing on certain shots.
So no, we can’t completely stop item songs from
existing — but we can definitely control when and how our children are exposed
to them.
💃 What Impact Do
Item Songs Have on Children’s Behavior?
Children are born imitators. My son, for example,
copies every move he sees. The other day, I caught him doing a hip-thrust step
from a movie — with complete innocence.
That’s when it hit me: They’re not just copying dance
steps; they’re absorbing postures, expressions, and attitudes.
Item songs can influence the way kids perceive
attention and admiration.
When appreciation comes from boldness and glamour, they
start believing that’s what makes someone “special.”
And when parents upload videos of toddlers dancing to
Aaj Ki Raat or Fevicol Se with laughing emojis, we unknowingly reinforce that
belief — that “this is fun” and “this is harmless.”
But is it?
🧍♀️ Should
Parents Monitor This?
Absolutely yes — but without panic or guilt.
I’ve learned that monitoring isn’t about banning; it’s
about guiding.
When a song comes on, I don’t always switch it off.
Sometimes, I pause and start a conversation.
“Do you think she’s dancing for herself or for
the audience?”
“Do you think this song is meant for children?”
These simple questions spark awareness. They help kids
see beyond the glitter.
🛡️ How Can We
Reduce the Negative Impact?
Here’s what has worked for me and other mindful parents
I’ve spoken to:
- Parental
Guidance — Know what your child is watching or dancing to.
- Media Literacy — Explain
the difference between performance and reality.
- Child-Appropriate
Platforms — Use YouTube Kids and content filters.
- Role
Modeling — Children mirror what we enjoy. If we glamorize item songs, they
will too.
And yes, sometimes that means changing our own playlist
first.
💬 My Personal
Observation — Small Shifts, Big Difference
After that Sunday incident, I began curating the music
my kids hear.
I swapped adult-themed songs for Lakdi Ki Kaathi, Let
It Go, Chanda Hai Tu, and fun Bollywood beats that are energetic yet innocent.
Now, we dance together — the laughter is the same, but
the lyrics feel safe.
And honestly, I don’t miss those awkward moments when
my child suddenly mimics an adult step in front of guests.
🌏 Do Item Songs
Reflect Society or Shape It?
Maybe both.
Item songs mirror our obsession with glamour, but they
also magnify it.
The Aaj Ki Raat story proves it — a song meant for
adults becomes a toddler’s feeding anthem.
What does that say about how blurred our cultural lines
have become?
If our children grow up believing that “looking
glamorous” equals “being appreciated,” then yes — item songs are not just
reflecting society, they’re redefining childhood innocence.
💖 My Takeaway as
a Mom
I’m not anti-entertainment.
I’m just pro-awareness.
I want my kids to grow up dancing to songs that make
them feel free, not be watched.
Songs that celebrate childhood, not copy adulthood.
As parents, our job isn’t to mute every tune — it’s to
tune the right ones.
Because our kids are watching.
They’re absorbing.
And sometimes, one song is enough to shape how they see
the world.
🎧 Poll Time for
You!
1️⃣ Do you think item songs have a positive
or negative impact on children’s development?
2️⃣ At what age should children be allowed
to watch item songs?
3️⃣ What impact do you think they have on
children’s behavior?
4️⃣ Should parents monitor exposure?
5️⃣ What can we do to reduce negative
effects?
🧐
Additional Questions for
You to Reflect On:
1️⃣ Have you noticed any changes in your
child’s behavior after watching item songs?
2️⃣ Do you think item songs reflect
societal values or contribute to shaping them?
3️⃣ How do you think the impact of item
songs on children can be studied or researched further?
In the end, maybe it’s not about banning the beats —
but teaching our kids how to dance to the right ones. 💃❤️
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