on singing to your children

Confession time:  I was a big choir nerd in high school.  I love singing, I grew up singing, I have a group of friends that sing every time we're together.  I sang at weddings in the summer during college to earn a little extra dough.  It's ingrained in my life.  I sing pretty much all day long.  So now my children are growing up with a singing household.  Don't worry, we listen to professional singers a lot, too.

Second confession: I make up silly little songs every day.  When the littles were born, I made up silly songs for them.  Here is Fletcher's song, sung to the tune of Allouete:

Fletcher Joseph, I love Fletcher Joseph
Fletcher Joseph, he's my little boy.
Oh I love you so so so,
Oh my Fletcher Joe Joe Joe
Fletcher Joe
Fletcher Joe
Fletcher JOE OH!

I know, I should take this on the road.  And here is Rowan's song, sung to the tune of Peter Paul and Mary's Lemon Tree:

Rowan Catherine is so pretty,
Rowan Catherine is so sweet.
And I love Rowan Catherine,
From her hair down to her feet.
Rowan Catheriiiiiiine.

Really silly songs.  But they both could say their full names before they were 18 months old!  They both request their songs often.  We all love songs that feature our names, right?  I also started making little songs for everything we would do when they were just babies.  I read a book about telling your baby everything you are doing with them, just so that they get all that verbal communication.  "We're putting on your clothes now.  Here's your shirt, and these are your pants."  Something like that.  So I of course have a song for putting on socks.  Sung to a made up tune.

Sockies on our feet
Sockies on our feet
We'll have everyone else beat
When we have sockies on our feet.

I have songs for eating.  Songs for specific foods we eat.  Songs to wake up the littles in the morning.  Songs for mornings that they go to school.  Songs for taking a bath.  You may at this point think that this is really silly, and such a waste of time.  I agree, it IS silly.  But definitely not a waste of time.

When I sing one of our daily ritual songs, the littles eyes light up in recognition of what is coming next. They are prepared, and it helps to prevent melt downs that stem from difficulties in transitioning to the next activity.  A silly song that lets the kids know that we're about to eat lunch is an easier transition from play to lunch than just suddenly announcing, "Lunch time!"  It can be jarring for a toddler to transition so suddenly, especially when they are lost in their world of play.  Singing a silly song almost extends that world into what is coming next.  I've done it both ways, and transitions are ALWAYS easier when there is a song involved.

I've had my grumpy days when I just want to TELL them to DO what I am SAYING.  And it never works.  Makes me grumpier when they don't transition well.  And I know you're probably thinking our house is a really annoying place to be, but trust me, children crying is way more annoying.

There has been an unexpected development in all this singing.  My children are making up songs.  Fletcher has mini-operas about trains while playing with trains, and Rowan takes familiar tunes and changes the words to what is going on.  Just last night Fletcher made up a song about the dinner I made, and it even RHYMED.  People, he's writing songs at the age of 4.  Move over Mozart.  Ha!

Since I love to sing, it provides an extra joy to parenting, especially when my children join in the singing.  I'm not suggesting it will work for everyone, but it has been one successful part of motherhood for me.  Happy singing!