Do You Sing to Your Baby?

by Catherine Ipcizade | More from this Blogger

A song may not cure everything that ails us, but for a baby, it definitely helps. Singing to your baby can soothe him. It can calm a restless evening or a stressful situation like a room full of unknown people. Singing can take away the pain of an "owie," and can help heal a broken heart, no matter how small.

Singing also teaches babies language. Like adults, babies can quickly learn to recognize the rhythm and pattern of a song. That's why your baby may appear to like certain songs more than others. Certain melodies or tunes may make him agitated, while others may seem to calm him down immediately. Early on, babies know what they like!

I've always sung to my children. When my son was a baby, singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow calmed his tears. Through the years, and now with my daughter as well, I've created many of my own original songs. I usually take a well-known lyric, such as You are My Sunshine and change it to fit my children. "You are my sunshine, My only sunshine, You make Mommy happy, Each and every day. My little Sophia, Mommy adores you. And I love you more every day."

If you haven't tried this, it's fun. Take your favorite tune, tweak the lyrics and come up with something tailor-made for your baby. It'll be something he or she can remember for a lifetime. If you're not feeling creative, don't sweat it. Any song will do, original or centuries old. The important thing is to try. Sing to your baby a familiar song. Sing it again and again and create a memory they'll carry with them always.

Here's my goodnight song to my kids. I sing it each night when putting them to bed. Recently, my son has begun to chime in and sing it with me. Enjoy.

"Good night, babies, Sleep tight, babies. You have played the day away, And now it's time to rest. Sweet dreams, babies. Close your eyes and dream. Sweet dreams. Sweet dreams. I will see you when you wake."

Here's hoping you and your precious baby (s) have a restful night's sleep full of laughter-filled dreams. I'd love to hear what you sing to your baby.

Learn more about Catherine Ipcizade

Cathy Ipcizade is 30 years old and currently resides in Southern California. Prior to coming to California she grew up in Arizona.

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