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.