The Magic of Song
By Brenda Hyde
When my son was a baby my husband used to rock him and
sing Amazing Grace to him. No, my husband really isn't a
spiritual person, but he grew up hearing that song and just happened
to remember most of the words. I tend to make up songs to sing
to my children.
A hat, a hat
The baby wears a hat.
Look at that baby,
Look at that baby,
he is wearing a hat.
Granted, I will never win an award for this song, but when my son's
chubby cheeks shook with laughter I felt like I had won a Grammy.
I am convinced that singing to our children can not only create
a bond between parent and child, but it begins introducing an
appreciation for music they will carry with them throughout their lives.
We can't all sound like Whitney Houston or Celine Dion, but we do
each have our own unique singing voice. Babies don't care what you
sound like as long as you are humming or singing. You are their
whole existence at this point and they want to interact with you
in any way they can.
I remember when I was a new Mom, my voice sounded so strange
when I sang to my son. It felt so personal, so emotional and
in a way, a little embarrassing. I had never been around babies
that much and singing lullabies was not something I was used
to. As time went on I became more relaxed and didn't worry
about what I sounded like. 7 years later I am singing to my
daughter and it feels wonderful. I still sing two songs every
night to my boys before they go to bed, after our story, but
I had forgotten how it feels to look into those trusting baby eyes
and feel like I am the best singer in the entire world.
About the Author
Brenda Hyde is editor at Seeds of Knowledge, a freelance writer and
a Mom to three children who love to hear her sing.
