“Sing it again” – this time, a little higher!

-->

Your voice is music to your child’s ears, even if you don’t think of yourself as the next American Idol.  Singing to your child and with your child is a special form of communication!

Don’t be put off if your child says “Don’t sing” at times.  This has happened to me when I sing along to a song on the radio in the car – I think my daughter wanted to hear the artist singing it and couldn’t take it all in with me chiming in too.  Your child might say “Don’t sing” when s/he is thinking through a song in her/his head, trying to master it.

Many parents naturally sing in a range lower than what infants and toddlers can best hear and imitate vocally.  When singing to your child, listen to the vocal sounds they are making and try to match your pitch to theirs.  This will enable your child to “sing back” – at first coos and hums, years later with more accuracy.  (For those readers who have studied music, the ideal range for vocalizing with young children is D to A above middle C.)

Also, when singing, make eye contact with your child.  Enjoy this special form of communication!