Amazon Music announced a new feature that helps parents reach out to their children and express their feelings. It is part of the Ad Council and Amazon joint project “Sound It Out: When You Can’t Say It, Play It.” The campaign uses music to connect parents and children
to address mental health crises.
They released the tool following the recent trend of heightened emotional and mental health problems among teenagers. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported increased levels of sexual sadness and violence. Also, three-quarters of LGBQ+ teens expressed melancholy and despair, and one in four attempted suicide.
If you suspect your teen is struggling, you may want to try Amazon Music. This article will discuss how to use the new feature so that you can start a conversation with your child. As a result, you could address your kid’s mental well-being before it causes more negative consequences.
How to use Amazon Music’s Sound It Out feature
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Amazon Music and the Ad Council understand music transcends language to unite people. It allows us to express feelings eloquently with this wondrous medium.
It could help children open up their feelings to parents so that they could talk about their problems and solve them. That is why they’ve launched the new Sound It Out feature. Here’s how it works:
- Ask Amazon Alexa to play a song.
- Then, tell the voice assistant to share the song.
- Afterward, send your kid a message via Amazon Music.
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Choose a song that might apply to your child’s situation to signal you are aware they have a problem. The Amazon Music website recommends the following songs:
- “Hold On” by Adele
- “Forever Now” by Micheal Buble
- “La Trenza” by Mon Laferte
- “Let Go” by DeWayne Woods
Learn about emotional well-being
Besides Amazon Music, the Sound It Out website offers more ways to start a conversation about mental wellness. First, let us discuss what emotional well-being is.
According to the website, it is “the full range of emotions, behavior, ideas, and relationships of a person.” Teaching children how to handle mental well-being helps them lead fulfilling lives.
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Parents must always be there to guide kids in managing their emotions in response to various issues. However, children often resist opening up about their emotions, making it difficult for parents to help.
That is why parents must create a safe space for their children. Consistent communication between parents and children allows the latter to feel comfortable opening up.
Improve communication with your kid
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Start by preparing yourself emotionally. In other words, expect to hear things that may disturb you, but you must not immediately lash out or scold your child.
Otherwise, your child may become more secretive about their feeling. That is why you must remain composed during the conversation.
Keeping yourself grounded with breathing exercises will help you keep cool while your kid opens up. As mentioned earlier, you must consistently talk with your child.
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Normalize talking about emotions, no matter how significant or mundane. Also, you must share your feelings with your child. Communication only works if both parties share information.
Showing your kid you’re willing to express what you feel shows them it’s fine to discuss such issues. As a result, your child is more likely to open up.
Dive into specific topics and emotions
You must tackle specific topics that relate to your child’s potential problem. You may do that after speaking with them for a long period.
Then, bring up the issue once they seem more willing to discuss it. Otherwise, you can use Amazon Music to break the ice with their favorite song.
It takes advantage of teenagers’ tendency to drown their emotions in music. Often, they listen to songs that relate to their situation.
Amazon Music helps you use those songs to start a conversation. That way, you can help them with their dilemma and avoid potentially worse problems.
Conclusion
Amazon Music launched a new Sound It Out feature that helps parents start conversations with their children. They could send their favorite songs to encourage their kids to discuss their feelings.
As a result, parents could prevent worse problems like self-harm and suicide. If you suspect your child has worse problems, consult a health professional.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can provide emergency assistance to your kid. Note that this article does not provide medical advice.
Frequently asked questions about Amazon Music
What are the features of Amazon Music?
Amazon Music functions like Spotify in almost every way. It lets you stream and download music and podcasts from a massive music library to listen to your favorites conveniently. Also, you can listen to media for free, but you will receive ads while they play. You can remove ads and add other features with a paid subscription.
What is Amazon Music’s new feature?
Amazon Music’s new Sound It Out feature lets parents send music to their kids with a message. They could use their children’s favorite songs as an icebreaker to discuss their deep problems. As a result, kids are more likely to open up and can determine solutions with their parents. More importantly, they can avoid worse problems like self-harm and suicide.
What should you do if your kid is struggling with mental health?
If your kid has a serious mental health problem, speak with them immediately. More importantly, ask for professional help as soon as possible. Hospitals often have psychiatrists ready to help patients in emergencies. Also, most countries have mental health and suicide hotlines that help you find immediate help.