Really Cool Parents

That is what the tipsy high school teacher told Jacob last night as we were leaving the Def Leppard-Poison concert. 
And she is correct.  We are really cool parents.  Not only did we have the good sense to grow up in the best music decade (Beatles fans, shut it.  Not even going to discuss it.  I enjoy The Beatles very much but this is my blog.   And they don't tour anymore.) ever, we had the better sense to get you listening to it from womb, on.
I learned early on the Bat Out of Hell sooths a screaming child.  I would turn the bass up and that thump, thump, thump would shhsh a screaming Ashlyn.  For Crying Out Loud was her favorite.  It worked so well with her that I used it all on the kinder.  Forget pacifiers, I gave them Meatloaf.
In their formative years, we listened to a lot of 80s New Wave.  It was still popular in Germany so it was easy to find mixed CDs.  Jacob could tell you the first song played on MTV before he could recite his ABC's.  He could stump his seventh grade teacher with the second song ever played on MTV (Pat Benatar, You Better Run). 
We took the kids to their first concert at Newton Speedway in 2007.  It was Summer Jam featuring Veins of Jenna, Great White, Dokken, Ratt and Poison.  The first time Hayley heard Every Rose has a Thorn live was the first time she really understood life, love and hurt.  Pretty profound moment there in the stands! 
Since that fateful day in 2007, there have been many more concerts.  Another Summer Jam.  Tesla, where we got to hobknob with the band because Danny is buddies with Troy.  There was KISS in Minnesota for Danny and Jacob.  They put on the full make up for that show.  They saw KISS again this summer with Motley Crue. Jacob, Danny and I saw Def Leppard and Heart last year at the fair.   The boys also saw Van Halen this summer.  Ashlyn, Hayley and I saw Backstreet Boys last summer in Chicago.  That was unreal!  Of course, there is at least one Hairball show a year where we see all our favorites at once!
I think how lucky we are to be able to share this with our kids.  Had my parents been able to take me to the concerts of their favorites, I think I would have seen some Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.  How amazing that would have been.  But Dean was dead and Frank wasn't touring.  My parents just didn't have that opportunity.  I did see Barry Manilow with my mom when I was in the 6th grade.  I hope I didn't act embarrassed to be with her.  I got the tickets for my birthday.  It was my first concert and it was pretty great. 
So anyway, back to being really cool parents.  I corrected the teacher last night, even after Jacob agreed with her.  Danny and I, we have really cool kids.  I can't quite convey the pride I have when I see them fist pumping to Pour Some Sugar on Me or swaying slowly to Every Rose has its Thorn,  knowing full well who hurt Brett Micheals, but willing to ask the question again.  A family of five in their band t shirts, devil horns in the air.  I can't imagine it any better until...
Def Leppard slowed it down a bit and did a mix of songs including Two Steps Behind.  I didn't remember it the first time I saw them, but when they started playing it this time, it became an instant favorite.  A bit of the lyrics go something like
 Whatever you do - I'll be two steps behind you
Wherever you go - and I'll be there to remind you
That it only takes a minute of your precious time
To turn around, I'll be two steps behind
While Joe Elliot is belting this out, Jacob is taking two steps behind his sister to get to me.  There in front of ten thousand people, Joe Elliot, Brett Micheals and God, Jacob gives me a big hug and tells me he loves me. 
So if all the rock and roll words are true and
 life really is nothing but a good time
and You keep on shoutin', you keep on shoutin'
I wanna rock and roll all night and party everyday
then it will be as a family that we
Rise up, gather round, rock this place to the ground!
Hell yeah!