Car Rides: The Unexpected Battle of the Soundtrack

Ah, family car rides. Once upon a time, they meant rolling the windows down, blasting your favorite playlist, and pretending your life was a movie montage. Fast forward to parenthood, and the soundtrack has shifted. Suddenly, your Spotify Wrapped is 90% Baby Shark and 10% heated negotiations about whether Baby Shark should be played… again.

The Kid-Curated Playlist

Let’s be honest: kids have strong opinions when it comes to music. And by “strong opinions,” I mean they want the same song played on repeat until the end of time. It doesn’t matter if you’ve already heard it 42 times today—the request will always be for “again, again!”

The Arguments Begin

The 10% of car ride time not dominated by singing animals and catchy jingles? That’s reserved for arguments about the songs.

• One child wants Frozen’s “Let It Go.”
• Another demands Cocomelon.
• You? You’d sell your soul for 3 minutes of silence.

And just like that, your family car transforms into a live radio call-in show, where everyone’s competing to be DJ.

Parents’ Secret Fantasy: Adult Music

Meanwhile, parents everywhere daydream about slipping in a podcast or—dare we say it—a song with actual instruments that aren’t played by animated characters. But those dreams are usually cut short by the dreaded phrase: “Change it back!”

Why We Laugh About It Anyway

Sure, it’s chaos. Sure, you sometimes arrive at your destination with Baby Shark still stuck in your head. But one day, the car rides will be quiet again. And when that day comes, you’ll probably miss the off-key sing-alongs, the laughter, and even the soundtrack wars.

So for now, embrace the chaos. Belt out those kids’ songs like you’re headlining at Madison Square Garden. Because these soundtracks? They’re the background music to memories your kids will never forget.

What’s your family’s go-to road trip song right now?