It’s amazing how strong certain childhood memories can be, and how they can
vividly endure throughout a lifetime. As parents and grandparents then, we should
attempt to create as many magical memories as possible for our children,
grandchildren, and in fact, all children we come in contact with.
My mother gave me the greatest bedtime gift I could have asked for: her undivided
attention, her precious and beautiful voice, and her overwhelming love. She turned
bedtime into a positively anticipated event by weaving a spell over me with words
and song. Singing and reading to your child not only stimulates their imagination,
but also creates neural pathways in the brain, which determine learning capacities
for the entire life of the child into adulthood.
Music has been proven to improve spatial reasoning, or how we perceive our visual
world. Spatial reasoning helps children in the areas of math, engineering and the
sciences. But beyond laying the groundwork for a healthy intellect, reading and
singing to your child give parent and child the opportunity to share loving moments
together that are exclusively theirs. Holding, rocking, massaging and hugging your
baby while singing to him/her creates an incredibly loving bond.
I like to think of lullabies as ‘love made audible’. Even if you’re self-conscious
about your singing voice, remember that your baby thinks it’s the most beautiful
sound in the world! Your voice is familiar and soothing. To me, my mother’s voice
was like an Angel’s. She enchanted me with her singing, and her lullabies made me
feel safe, secure and cherished, as yours will.
In this age of technology it’s easy to overdo it on educational toys and gadgets.
Yes, toys are great. They stimulate the baby’s brain and imagination, and teach him
how to make sense of his world. But don’t overlook the simple and pure magic of a
story or lullaby delivered with undivided, loving attention. Those moments and
melodies will remain engraved in the heart and mind of your child forever. A
lullaby, what a profound and simple gift!
Beth Lawrence’s lullaby CD, “Land of Sleepytime…lullabies for the heart and soul”,
won the National Parenting Publications Gold Award (NAPPA). Beth is the only
expert in the country teaching The Integrated Voice™ method; a holistic approach to
voice coaching and therapy honoring the connection of body, mind and spirit. Beth
is the CEO of Viva La Voice!, a company offering private coaching, workshops in the
performing arts, and music camps for women. To learn more and hear Beth’s
beautiful music: http://www.VivaLaVoice.com