Singing to Our Children

Each night as we have put our children to bed, our nightly routine has been: baths, read books, sing and pray. The 'read books' part has been easy. I have my Master's in Elementary Education/Children's Literature so needless to say, I LOVE children's books. I've been collecting books for years and years. I enjoy doing all the voices, reading slowly or quickly depending on the mood of the book. I love asking questions throughout the book to keep them engaged. And the praying part, I've got that down too, but the singing...yikes! I cannot seem to remember all the words to any of the songs that come to my head and for the ones I do remember, my husband just smiles.. I can not sing. So, over the years I have found myself singing just about the same five songs each night...Jesus Loves Me, Tender Shepherd, Peace-Peace, Joy,Joy,Joy and Jesus Loves the Little Children.

Until I was going through my 'books on tape' basket and came across all my 'Wee Sing' song books. I have the tape, (yes, tape) that goes along with each song book and for some reason have saved the song books.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, these books are now on the top shelf of the bookcase in my little guys room. Each night they pick a book and I sing it. My singing hasn't changed, but my repertoire has! I have taught my little guys soooo many new songs! I have sung just about all the Bible songs from both books, almost all the Christmas songs, (which I love and could never remember the second verses), and then just some fun nursery songs. I am really enjoying singing songs like, "She'll be coming around the mountain" and all the verses of, "The Little Drummer Boy" all year long. I have even more of these song books! (Dinosaurs, American songs, and Car Songs). 

It has been really wonderful having time with them to teach them so many really great songs. Songs that I wouldn't think to sing during the day, but songs that I want them to know. I say all this to encourage you to sing to your kids and if you are like me and cannot remember the words to songs or even the songs from your childhood that ever kid should know, buy a song book, or Google kid songs, print them out and sing them to your children. You'll see that in a matter of days they will be walking around the house singing some pretty great songs!