Listen to the music your children like. Read the lyrics and discuss them with your kids. But keep in mind that studies have shown that many kids don't pay a lot attention to lyrics, so putting too much emphasis on the words of favourite songs may be counter-productive.
Broaden your kids' musical tastes by exposing them to different kinds of music: jazz, classical, folk, country, blues, show tunes, etc., through recording and live concerts. Show them how the music they enjoy didn't develop in a void, but is a culmination of many different earlier musical influences.
If your kids like music videos, watch with them and use violent or sexist content as starting points for discussing gender stereotyping and media violence.
Talk about the role of gender stereotyping plays in the marketing of female artists. An examination of Rolling Stone covers will help illustrate how the industry continues to promote women artists as sex objects.
When your kids are young, you have the right to ban music you find inappropriate from your house. Talk to your kids about your decision and explain why you find the music objectionable. Even if they disagree, your kids will probably respect your decision if you explain your motivation.
Teens will object to censorship of their music, and they have the right to defend their viewpoint. Discuss freedom of expression versus censorship, and try to come up with a compromise that respects everyone's feelings.
When purchasing music for your kids, look for Parental Advisory labels that warn of explicit lyrics. Keep in mind that labelling is voluntary for recording companies, so you can't assume that music without a label will be appropriate for all ages.
If a CD or tape purchased by your child has objectionable lyrics and doesn't have an advisory label, return it to the store. Most stores have a "hassle-free" return policy if a parent disapproves of a child's purchase.
Ask music store staff for information about specific artists. Most music store employees are very willing to guide parents when they choose music for their kids.
Supervise your kids' access to music on the Internet. The music and lyrics for virtually any song can be freely downloaded from the Internet by anyone, regardless of age. In some cases there are even additional lyrics that have been censored in the retail version.
Canada's cable music station Much Music has strict guidelines regarding violent content, however the highly sexualized music videos of many artists make the station inappropriate viewing for children and even pre-teens. Parents should also be aware that music videos are not rated using the Canadian TV Classification System.
Listen to the music your children like. Read the lyrics and discuss them with your kids. But keep in mind that studies have shown that many kids don't pay a lot attention to lyrics, so putting too much emphasis on the words of favourite songs may be counter-productive. 
