When Sophia was little, not even a year old, I got into the habit of singing to her every time I lay her down for a nap or at bedtime. It was part of her sleepytime routine. The song I always sang was "I am a Child of God." I would sing just the first verse…but I would sing it twice. If I ever forgot to sing, or tried to sing something different she was quick to let me know how she felt about it. If she needed to nap or go to bed while being watched by siblings, they had to be instructed on the song ritual so that they could "do it right."
She still loves to be sung to at bedtime. I usually sing three or four songs before we have hugs and kisses goodnight. But we have a larger repertoire to choose from than when she was younger. Some of her favorites right now are: I Like to Look for Rainbows, In the Leafy Treetops, and Silent Night (yes I know Christmas is over, but she still asks for it.) Some nights she is very specific about which songs she wants. She will tell me the songs, and in which order she wants them sung. This past Christmastime, she wanted "the funny Christmas song" every single night. (That was Stars were Gleaming…and I think she thought it was funny because I would always forget the words in the middle and would just start making them up. All those rhyming words get tough for me..ah that singing, hear it ringing, earthward winging, Christmas bringing…) Sometimes she says, "You choose Mom." Some nights she sings along with me and sometimes she just listens.
As she plays during the day, I hear her singing bits and pieces of the songs she hears so often. She sings to her dolls and she sings in the car.
I love the hymns of our church and I love the Primary songs. Hearing beautiful music, especially songs of the gospel, helps me to feel the spirit so quickly and so powerfully. When I was a little girl I often became so touched by music that I heard, that I would cry. I did not know why I was crying, only that the sweetness of the sounds I heard made me cry. At about age 4 I had a hard time with Primary. I wanted to go, but would be reduced to tears as I sat in the chapel waiting for Primary to start. (This will date me, but this was back when Primary happened during the week.) The soft prelude music brought feelings of reverence so strong, that my little 4 year old heart and mind were overwhelmed. I did not realize at the time that I was feeling the spirit, but I know now that that is what it was. I frequently feel that same welling up inside of me to this day when I hear beautiful music.
There is great council in the front of our hymnbook:
“Teach your children to love the hymns. Sing them on the Sabbath, in home evening, during scripture study, at prayer time. Sing as you work, as you play, and as you travel together. Sing hymns as lullabies to build faith and testimony in your young ones.”
-- “First Presidency Preface,” Hymns, 1985
If you've never explored the music resources on www.lds.org you've got to try it. Click on Resources, then go to Music. You can listen to music, hear just the accompaniments, print sheet music, download music to your mp3 player… and much more.
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