My Childhood, The Black Eyed Peas, And My Humps.

To quote Fergie, "what you gon do with all that junk? All that junk inside that trunk?" These were the lyrics of my childhood. The song, My Humps, by The Black Eyed Peas was released in 2004, which means I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I can't quite remember where exactly I was when I first heard this song but I will say I've carried the lyrics with me throughout this journey I call life.

I know a few readers are probably questioning why I was allowed to listen to this song to the extent where I had it memorized at a young age but I have a theory. I don't have children of my own so this is in NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM parenting advice because parenting is by far the hardest job there is. I nanny for a plethora amount of families and let me tell you being relieved of my duties and paid for them to then go home to my child free apartment is what people who have kids tell me "is a good form of birth-control." However, from nannying for multiple families I've learned a few things.

Alright, so I've babysat for parents who really restrain their kids in their screen watching and monitor what they eat and others who don't. Again, not saying either is right or wrong good or bad just an observation from someone who doesn't have children of my own. Anyways, I've noticed that some kids who have unlimited access to TV and what they'd like to eat tend to not be so attached to it and request snacks like fruit. Whereas the kids who don't go insane when they get treats and desperately plead for more or can't even hear me while they watch a movie. I think this relates to my memorization of the song My Humps. Bare with me.

First of all, I'd like to point out that as a 3rd/4th grader to have fully memorized a song I think is pretty impressive (kudos to myself). Even though the song content isn't that extensive still an accomplishment never the less. I was raised where I pretty much got to watch/listen to what I wanted knowing that if it was "bad" it was never to be repeated. So, once I successfully checked knowing all the words to My Humps off the bucket list, which also included things like one day having 10 American Girl dolls and being a Zoologist, I of course sang along whenever it came on the radio. All my babysitters and older cousins at the time were impressed and found it funny, which I at the time interpreted as cool, but regardless it gave me confidence and made me feel "in."

The moral of this story is I didn't know what the lyrics of My Humps actually meant at that age and I wasn't singing curse words so it was harmless. I can report I now know what the song is insinuating and I still find it inspirational. Anyways, being able to listen to songs like My Humps as a kid made me understand that the female body doesn't relate to camel anatomy but also recognizing the situations where it was appropriate to bust out the lyrics and others where it wasn't. In a car with babysitters sure, at school in front of teachers probably not. This granted me authority to listen and watch what I pleased but also held me accountable to knowing that if I broke the agreement the privilege would be taken away. And that would have been the real tragedy.

-iKarli