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DECEMBER
2002 - THE POWER OF MUSIC
When Carter was a newborn he hated car rides. He just screamed and cried
like a banshee. In a 45 minute drive, I would often have to pull over
about every 7-10 minutes (that's all I could last). Poor Carter would
be sweating all over and gasping for air between the sniffles. I was
pretty desperate to find some kind of cure. Sometimes I would sing songs
and sometimes it would work. What cracked me up though was how much
Simon loved my singing. I did a lot more of it when he was smaller but
then started up again after Carter was born. In the car, Simon would
ask if the song was for him or Carter. I asked him who it should be
for and he would assign songs - "Twinkle Twinkle for Carter and
The Railroad Song for me".
I first started singing when Simon was a newborn. It was he and I in
the house most of the day and I did a lot of talking to him and a lot
of singing about regular ordinary activities. Funny what you do to entertain
a baby. "Oh I'm washing dishes, Yes I'm washing dishes, Check out
these dishes, Yeah Mommy!" etc. etc. My songs would be to the tune
of the classics and I tried to sing those but couldn't quite remember
the words. My best and lasting adaptation is from Brahm's Lullaby. Here's
my version:
Lullaby, and goodnight
May you have sweet dreams tonight,
Mama loves you, she's thinking of you,
And I'll be here when you wake.
You're my favorite little baby
and I love you so much
You're my favorite little baby
and I love you so what.
This was my favorite one to sing and I often did it when trying to calm
Simon down or get him to sleep. The power of it hit me dramatically
one day though. Simon was fussing and would not calm down. I'm guessing
he was about 4/5 months old or so. As a last ditch effort I sang the
song. Holey Bazoli batman, it worked. He totally calmed down and eventually
fell asleep. Well, I'm no dummy. From that moment on I made it a ritual
to sing it to him every night and before nap times. When I was holding
him, I could feel his body immediately relax and his breathing was deeper.
As Simon grew, he decided that he wasn't a "little baby" anymore
(see line 5) and so I changed it to "big boy". It works perfectly
because I use the former line with Carter and the latter with Simon.
Usually my husband tucks Simon into bed, but on occasion I do it or
if he wakes up in the middle of the night I ask him if he wants me to
sing Lullaby. He always says yes and it always calms him down. The best
one happened just a few weeks ago - he closed his eyes hard, held his
hands together, listened with all his might and then when I was done,
said "Thank You".
In addition to the sleepytime qualities of the music, I also sing when
I'm cutting finger/toe nails (it is a good distraction and prit near
works every time), at the changing table, and while nursing. Carter
has this thing where he pulls off suddenly, throws his head back and
shoves his fingers in his mouth. I often have to pull them out and refocus
him on the breast. I've just recently started singing to him during
these fussy nursing times and his body, like Simon's, relaxes and he
is usually able to focus on feeding again.
The boys also have music in their rooms. Carter listens to the classical
station (good for the brain) and Simon has the cutest little radio that
he can choose between about 5 different songs (no lyrics, just the tune)
or 5 different nature sounds. It is also a clock and a night-light.
He doesn't go to sleep without putting his music on. He has also learned
to soothe himself in the middle of the night - if he wakes up, he will
turn his music on all by himself and go back to sleep.
Don't let your lack of melody stop you. It is amazing how your own kids
will love your voice regardless of quality.
Click
here for a cool website with Children's Song Lyrics
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Visit Heidi's Handmade Jewelry Site
Teach your children essential tools for life. Heidi's husband Nick is the author
of this educational workbook for children.
My
mom fills Christmas stocking for all her kids (4) and all her grandkids
(11). Because there are so many, Simon wanted to know how Santa was
going to fill them all up and get down the chimney. I conceded and told
him Grandma Carol helps Santa fill them up. Simon then asked "How
is Grandma Carol going to get on top of the roof?"
~%~%~%~
Lately, when Simon wants me to sing he says "I want you to sing
3 songs, the first one is The Railroad Song, the next one is Lullaby,
and the last one is the one where you don't know all the words."
For the record, that would be 'oh my darling Clementine'.
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