Three weeks ago we were an average, every-day household family.  Then…it happened.  Someone at school mentioned the two words that would forever change the course of our lives.  It came without warning and it came without care for anything else in its path, and now, no matter the time of day, or where we are, one phrase has become a constant. I have a feeling it won’t be going away any time soon and that it’s going to cost me a lot of money over the next several years – Alexa: play Taylor Swift.

Let me be clear from the outset here to prevent an insurrection against this humble blogger: I quite enjoy Taylor’s music.  I don’t know if I would qualify as a full-on Swiftie, but

1. I absolutely respect her music, talent, and skill
2. there are some real bangers that I sing along to, even solo in the car on my way to work some days

Saying that out loud to myself….maybe I am a Switfite.  Hmmmm.

Anyway, the point is – I enjoy her music and if the kids are going to start following or looking up to anyone in the public eye, then I have no problem with it being her for the time being.  That said, I do think there can be too much of a good thing.

{pause while the audience gasps!}

Now – Don’t Blame Me, I’m not the Anti-Hero here and I don’t want any Bad Blood between us.  I won’t say that You Need To Calm Down but if I think Back To December, relaxing in my Cardigan, overcoming a Cruel Summer, when her songs were just a Blank Space in my head, and now I know them All Too Well, I think I have a point to make here.  Maybe it was Karma, but never in my Wildest Dreams did I think her Style would have this much impact.  I mean, I just can’t Shake It Off.  And seriously, Taylor: Look What You Made Me Do here – I Knew You Were Trouble (when you walked in), but I guess, well I wasn’t …Ready For It.  And to all the other bands I once cared for: Now That We Don’t Talk, it’s not you, it’s ME!   Is It Over Now?  Our musical Love Story, that is?  As Gorgeous and Delicate as our past may have been, I do worry that We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

See what I did there? She’s taking over my life…

In all honesty, though, as any parent can attest and will let you know: once a child latches onto a fad, it becomes your entire household’s everything.  Whether it’s Coco Melon, Number Blocks, Frozen, LOL Dolls, Lego (which seems to last a looooooong time), or the latest and greatest in music, kids love repetition and in only a couple of short weeks, I’ve listened to every album, heard every remix, and watched every music video (including the Eras Tour), at least a dozen times each and, just as I’d be with any of my own favourite tunes and bands – I’m starting to feel the fatigue.  That’s no shot at Taylor, it’s just a fact.

I take solace, however, in knowing I’m not alone.  It’s truly impressive how ‘everywhere’ she is; someone said to me the other day that it was cool to know that Taylor Swift’s boyfriend was going to be playing at the Usher concert.  She was the star of the Super Bowl.  That’s the gravity of her impact.  Again, she’s a truly impressive role model for my kiddos, so I’m really not complaining.  If nothing else, I’m in awe of what is happening.  I was chatting with a coworker the other day who is also going through this same experience in his home.  He and I are of the same pedigree and were trying to determine a comparable situation in our lives that could match the celebrity status that Taylor has achieved.  We struggled to come up with anything adequate:  Oprah?  Adele?  Britney?  Jonathan Taylor Thomas?  Nothing we could name as a pop-culture phenomenon could measure up to the superhero, megastar status that she’s worked so hard to earn.

As for the benefits of this phase that I can’t ignore, Audrey is now not only interested in piano, but also in taking vocal lessons and the first song she’s working on is Love Story.  The super cool thing about that, is that Nora is also inspired and not only wants to sing along but wants to know all about Romeo and Juliet, so she’s reading Shakespeare at the same time!  I, too am inspired, as this whole fad has me picking up the guitar more often, I’ve purchased some new gear, and we’ve had a few jam sessions together just bouncing around our music space and laughing, singing, and dancing our little hearts out.  In that respect, my ‘fatigue” has turned to vigour and I’m loving every minute of it.  Hmmmmm, another checkbox in the Swiftie column for this guy I suppose.

That said – the girls just asked for tickets to see her concert and, like the curious guy that I am, I jumped on to see how much 4-passes would run me.  To sit in the 500 level of The Rogers Center would run me a breezy $12,000 (twelve thousand dollars) plus fees and taxes.  I may enjoy her music and can get behind the vocal lessons, friendship bracelets, and never-ending playlists, but a line must be drawn when a concert would cost more than our trip to Disney.  I’ll set a projector up in the backyard and we watch the Eras Tour that way; it may not win me the most Dad points, but I’m confident they’ll understand.  I mean, kids are reasonable, right?