Singing the Babies to Sleep

One of my favorite things about my job is all the adorable babies I get to spend time with. This week Ellen fell asleep sitting up during story time! I saw her start to wobble and put my hands out to catch her. Her day care provider was right beside her and scooped her up as she drifted off.

The next day, Tristan, (aka Chunky Monkey), got fussy toward the end of story time. I started to sing, "Hush Little Baby," which is a lullaby my mom used to sing to me, and he immediately stopped crying, turned and looked at me with his wide blue eyes, laid his head against his day care provider's chest and listened intently while I sang the song. By the time I got to the end, his eyelids were getting heavy.

Music is my secret weapon. It soothes the fussy baby and captivates the raucous preschool crowd. If you want to get their attention - sing. It doesn't have to be perfectly on key as long as your heart is in it. Sing them a fun song and they will beg to hear it over and over again.

Some of the kids I go to see try to tell me they don't like to sing. I think they must have watched too much American Idol. Simon Cowell is wrong - everyone can sing and everyone should sing. Once I start singing to the kids who insist they don't like to sing, smiles begin to emerge from grumpy faces and laughter wells up and overflows. I can't explain the power music has to reach people, I just know it does.

Remember the song they used to sing on Sesame Street? It's called "Sing" and it was written by Joe Raposo. He says it better than me in this excerpt:

"Sing - sing a song,
Sing out loud,
Sing out strong!

Don't worry that it's not good enough
for anyone else to hear,
Just sing - sing a song!"

Trust me. Trust Joe. Sing!