I Want More Mockingbird!

A few weeks ago, Jen Graf Groneberg wrote a lovely piece on ParentDish called Singing to My Children, in which she recounts her gradual acceptance of the power of her own singing voice as a way to connect with her boys. It's such a sweet post, full as it is of her insecurities and how she ultimately shrugged them off as she discovered how much her kids loved music--her music. I sent her a note afterward, a little ruefully telling my own story early on with Isaac. I had decided on day one that I would be a lullaby-singing kind of Mom, and hoped that it would bring Isaac and me closer together and represent a sweet, intimate moment of peace and communion between us before he fell asleep each night. Ahh, romantic sap that I was. Then one night, as I softly sang the mockingbird lullaby ("Hush little baby, don't say a word..."), Isaac raised his head from the pillow, pulled his damp thumb from his mouth, looked me straight in the eye, and softly whispered..."Noooo."

This led to a lullaby recession, in which we focused more on made-up bedtime stories (latest favorite is about a large pink monster with two noses and two mouths, named, according to Isaac, "Very Mad"). But one night a couple of weeks ago he was having a rough time getting to sleep, so I asked him if he wanted me to rub his back. "Yes," he whispered from underneath the covers. So I starting rubbing his back and in a moment found myself singing "Mockingbird." Oh the excitement. "I want Mommy sing Mockingbird again!" A few weeks have gone by and we have added Toora Loora to the playlist. If you don't know it, it's a sweet Irish lullaby that my Mother used to sing to me when I was about Isaac's age. We have absolutely no claim to it, seeing as how not a drop of Irish blood runs through our veins, but we're hoping we can borrow it anyway for at least another generation. It's just lovely, and very, very soothing.

So now I'm on a little bit of a lullaby bender, looking for the next candidate. Jen likes "Edelweiss," which I have always loved, but it has the distinct disadvantage of making me cry nearly every time I hear or sing it. So who knows? We may have to get a little creative. Not long ago, I overheard J. singing Isaac to sleep with "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick (a sentimental favorite: the first album he ever bought). So while we may diverge from the tried and true, at least I am secure in the knowledge that, just like Kajagoogoo, I am ready for my comeback.

Comments

[jennifergg]

This makes me so happy! I love it! And I really understand your surprise, and your joy, at the end of the lullaby recession!!!

And I also understand this: my kids have taught me that No doesn't necessarily mean forever; it means, Not for now. That has been a huge lesson for me, and a great help in my life.

Sing on!

[kristen]

Oh this is simply beautiful. Who among us doesn't want to sing? It is such a joyful and soulful act. And how wonderful it is to comfort and soothe, to let the music wrap its strong arms around us and lift our spirits. And to hear little voices call out, "one more time, mommy."

Yes, Susan, sing on!

[Paula]

Yay for singing! My kids both love to sing songs. That's the main way I can connect with my autistic 3 year old son. We sing and act out fun songs like old mac donald, wheels on the bus, the ants go marching and so on. Unfortunately lullabys don't work for us, they have the opposite effect. He'll want to sing along loudly and make requests and get very excited.

May I make a suggestion for a new song to add to your repertoire. Little Boy Blue is a favorite of mine. Although my son likes to request various colors - little boy yellow, little boy red and so on.

[Vicki Forman]

I'm a reluctant singer myself but I have always liked "rock a bye baby" since you can sing it over and over again and it never seems to get old.

[Niksmom]

Oh how wonderful that Isaac is wanting to hear mama's voice again! :-D I'm partial to old jazz standards myself...Nik couldn't care less. LOL