rocking out with the fam

This post is brought to you by The New Santa Fe from Hyundai. Think your family rocks? Show us by uploading a photo of your family rocking out. Enter now for a chance to win great prizes.

Rocking out while mommy cooks.

Music is not only a part of our lives every day but nearly every second. Singing songs passes the time in so many occasions, especially when we're stuck in traffic or in a long line at a store. My girls love nothing more than belting out a tune with mom and dad. I notice that it can make them happier and calmer, and it helps my mood too. One verse of "What a Wonderful World" or "Three Little Birds," and I can't help but relax a bit.

I've written about our love of music before (including some tips for great kids music), so I won't reinvent the wheel. But I will add that if you have small kids, the Raffi station on Pandora is a must listen! You don't just have to put on kids' music for them to dance along though; my kids also rock out to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Vampire Weekend stations.

I'm a firm believer in introducing them to a wide variety of musical styles. After all, there's only so many times any of us can hear "We're going to the zoo zoo zoo, how about you you you?"Do you love to rock out with your kids too? If so, Hyundai Santa Fe and Rolling Stone are hosting a fun photo contest you'll want to enter.

What I love about the contest is that it's not just about sending them a funny or "cute" photo, which seems to be a mainstay of the parenting photo contest scene. You submit a photo but also write 500 words about your family. They're looking for families who rock and whose values include kindness, sharing, hard work, loud singing, mud, practical jokes and mischief in general. Cool, huh?

One of many Pat Benetar moments in our family jam sessions.

Prizes include a photo shoot in Rolling Stone magazine featuring the winning family shot by an industry photographer, plus you'll get airfare, hotel and transportation to the 55th Grammy Awards, and a Hyundai Santa Fe! Not bad, eh? So check it out!

Last but not least, take a gander at this Rolling Stone video to find out more about the contest. And let me know in the comments your favorite ways to rock out with your family. I'm always looking for new ideas!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.