Dad Refuses To Let His Kids Change The Song In The Car To Make Them Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
It's important to teach kids to step out of their comfort zone.
fast-stock / Shutterstock Kids today have everything at their fingertips. They can look up a movie and rent it instantly. They can use Google or AI to get help with their homework. And as a dad and former teacher pointed out on TikTok, they have access to any song they want to hear at any time. The problem this dad was trying to address was that all that instant gratification never teaches kids how to sit in discomfort. That's why he thinks it's incredibly important to tell your kids they can't change the song in the car whenever they want.
Not too long ago, if you wanted to hear your favorite song, you had to wait until the DJ on the radio played it. Streaming has eliminated the need for patience, but as this dad argued, it's not doing kids any favors in the long run.
A Dad said parents should stop letting their kids change the song in the car to teach them about discomfort.
"This has been a personal pet peeve of mine," the dad said. He explained that his kids will get into the car and put on one of the "myriad terrible playlists they have," and he will just let them play whatever they want. The problem is that his kids are constantly skipping the songs.
His hot take: When people decide not to do things they're uncomfortable doing, they become less capable of patience. Learning how to get comfortable when things are uncomfortable is an important life skill that seems to be in short supply. "We only want to hang out with the kids that we know," he said. "We only want to eat donuts instead of vegetables, and we don't want to listen to new music."
He then explained that he created a radio rule. When a playlist comes on, the family treats it as if it were the radio and doesn't change songs unless they all agree that the song isn't good. The dad added that this happens often, especially when he's the one leading the voting, but he feels the kids are learning a useful lesson.
Stepping out of your comfort zone is essential.
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The dad made a great point. Only listening to the songs you love in that moment means choosing to stay in your comfort zone. But that comes at a cost. The cost is stagnancy.
According to Walden University, staying in a comfort zone for too long holds you back. "If you don't perform activities that somewhat scare or challenge you, you miss out on growth opportunities." They added that big rewards come to those willing to take risks, even if they aren't large ones. Yes, listening to songs that sound boring can still be valuable.
There are also smaller ways to step out of your comfort zone besides not skipping songs. The Taylor Counseling Group suggested trying simple challenges, like starting a conversation with someone new, taking a break from the digital world, eating a meal you’ve never tried before, or exploring something new through books, courses, or your work.
The takeaway is that the dad is teaching his kids a valuable lesson about life. Sure, you can choose to only do things you like and only play your favorite songs, but that will limit you to what feels comfortable. Stepping into discomfort, even if it just means listening to a song you don’t love, is essential for personal growth.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
