I Will Sing to You

I’m a big believer in routines. A good routine gives a child a sense of security, an understanding of their place in the world. A well established routine also gives a child the delicious chance to change it up, then return to the familiar, having expanded their horizons in some small, safe way.

Our bedtime routine has been in place since Felix moved out of our room at four months old. It’s evolved as he’s grown, but the core remains unchanged. Upstairs at bedtime. Pajamas, brushing teeth, stories, songs, tucking in, sleeping. These days, we go upstairs, change the Pull-Up, put on the jammies, brush teeth, wash his face and hands, and then Daddy flies the “rocket ship” from bedroom door to rocking chair, where I read stories, before tucking him in with Beek. Most nights, I snuggle in his bed for five minutes and sing him a few songs. I rub his back, and kiss him goodnight. The whole routine takes about a half hour from start to finish.

Wednesday night, I got Felix into his bed, smoothed Beek out over his pillow, and curled up next to him to sing three songs and rub his back.

“No, Mama,” he says. “I will sing to you.”

He told me to get a pillow for myself, and he patted Beek down on my pillow. He laid down next to me and sang me his wobbly ABC’s, interspersed with snippets of other songs he knows. Then he patted my back, and kissed me.

“Good night, Mama.”

I laid still, in the night-lit dark, while he snuggled up against me. After a few minutes, I offered to sing to him, and to spread Beek out on his pillow. He sleepily agreed.

It was a small enough change, but he was proud of himself.

And the tender little display of affection towards his Mama? Appreciated beyond measure.