2 Lullaby Songs…With A Twist

Lullaby songs are centuries old, and sure . . . they’ve helped children to learn to count, or learn their ABCs, and that’s great. But let’s be honest. It’s the parents, the unsung heroes, who really need the lullaby songs. Without them, we’d be lost.

Many a time I’ve been so completely lost (or at my wit’s end) with an upset or super-bored baby and had no clue what to do. And that’s when, just then, that the unassuming lullaby songs make their way into my brain and I do the unthinkable . . . I sing!!

I sing like a bird up a tree to get this boy to sleep. I sing to keep him happy. I sing to keep him entertained. I ‘ll even sing lullaby songs—gasp—out in . . . Public! Obviously, I suck at singing. But thank god he’s only a year old. I don’t think he’s noticed yet. The neighbors have. I’m sure.

Here are a few of the lullaby songs I have chosen. I hope they help. Oh, little side note: I have changed the words on some of them, because . . . Well, I just like them more. You’ll see.

Lullaby songs

For this one, I take the traditional “1, 2 buckle my shoe” lullaby song and I change it up a tiny bit to make it more personal. I still sing it to the same, original tune, however. Feel free to use this as your own. It goes like this:

1, 2 I love you
3, 4 I love you more
5, 6 I love your tricks
7, 8 I think you’re great
9, 10 I love you again

And then, because it ends with the word “again” I just keep singing as if there was no break in between the numbers 10 and 1. I sing it as one continuous long song on repeat with no pauses and the same tempo and rhythm that I used for the rest of the verse.

This works, because the baby is only a year old and so he doesn’t get bored of the repetitious nature of the song. But in the same way, if you have an older child, you can literally change each and every sentence as you get to it so the child is always surprised. For me, however, I don’t want him surprised because when it’s bedtime I try not to overstimulate the baby. I hope that makes sense.

Also, I like that it continually reaffirms that I love him. Maybe it gets into his subconscious that way. No idea. I just like to try.

There’s another one I use for sleeping, that I also have a twist for. This time it’s “If you’re happy and you know it.” But what I will do here is to change the actions of the song to suit my own purposes (and the baby’s need for sleep). Again, same tune—although slower and softer, because: sleep—and a few slightly different actions. So it goes:

If you’re happy and you know it close your eyes.
If you’re happy and you know it close your eyes.
If you’re happy and you know it then your eyes will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it close your eyes.

If you’re happy and you know it take a nap.
If you’re happy and you know it take a nap.
If you’re happy and you know it then your nap will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it take a nap.
(and close your eyes)

If you’re happy and you know it go to sleep.
If you’re happy and you know it go to sleep.
If you’re happy and you know it then some sleep will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it go to sleep.
(and take a nap)
(and close your eyes)

Normally, the next line would be: “If you’re happy and you know it do all three.” I skip that one for naps because, again, I don’t want the baby to be overstimulated when he is supposed to be sleeping. That’s another reason I sing this one slower and softer than it would normally be, because face it: this is a really happy song!

These are just idea starters for your own lullaby songs. Change them however they suit you.

One good place to start might be using the “Brush Brush Brush Your Teeth, Brush it every day” song and changing the lyrics to fit sleeping time or well . . . even using it to teach them about brushing. If you haven’t heard of this one before, it is sung to the same tune as “Row, Row, Row your boat, gently down the stream.” You can also look for it on YouTube.

Enjoy your babies! They are only young once.