Bedtime Songs

Its true, we're creatures of habit. At least, I am a creature of habit. How else would you explain the fact that I've been singing the same lullabies to my kids for 10 years now? Not that I mind, I enjoy them, my kids enjoy them, and that's all that matters in the end, I suppose. And it's not just lullabies, it's songs in general.


Obviously, some songs are made to put you to sleep, and others are not. My list of sleep songs is short, and it almost always starts with "I've Been Working on the Railroad." You can blame my dad I suppose, he has always been crazy about trains. Throw in the old standbys of "Rock-a-bye Baby" and "Brahms' Lullaby," "Hush Little Baby," and "Frère Jacques" and you just about round out my library of bedtime songs. Occasionally, the kids have gotten "All the Pretty Little Horses" as well.

As my babies have grown up, I've added in fun songs that are more about sending them to sleep with happy thoughts, even if they do rile them up a bit. Songs like "Hagdalena Magdalena," "Little Bunny Foo Foo," "In the Boarding House," and "My Grandfather's Clock" serve as my musical bonding medium. My kids enjoy hearing me sing and singing along. Songs at bedtime are a cherished bedtime ritual from my childhood, and I love carrying the tradition on to the next generation.



Now you know what's in my song book. What songs do you claim as your own?