The Secret Power Of Lullabies – Relationships are a fundamental part of life, AKA (also known as) social and personal development. Our ability to understand others gives us the additional skills of being able to learn, to shop, to travel, and even to earn. These skills develop from very early on. Whether we learn through nature (we are born with the knowledge) or nurture (we learn by example) is still debated, but we do know that we get better at interactions the more we practice. Musical games and lullabies are a great way to introduce socially complex ideas. Turn-taking, smiling and having our needs met are the foundations to concepts including rule of law, charitable work and even healthcare.
The Impact Of Lullabies On Early Childhood Development
The Ages & Stages Questionnaire provides clear examples of the average development of children from 2 months old. For example, babies are born with a sucking reflex, but the continued ability to suck, even at 2 months, even when not feeding, demonstrates the start of their desire to communicate. Even crying when hungry, wet, tired or wanting to be held is a form of communication, with a direct relationship to the development of personal value and self-esteem. Babies will smile, watch their own hands, and also anticipate being fed.
Lullabies play a crucial role in this developmental process. As they get older, babies will try to hold their bottles, smile at mirrors, and act differently with strangers. This shows their growing confidence in their familiar adults and their ability to recognise patterns of familiarity. Reaching out for toys at 6-8 months and drinking out of cups with help show their interest in interacting with their environment, while actions like moving their arms through sleeves shows their desire to work with their important adults.
At 12 months, babies will often hug toys, displaying affection. They will also try to get your attention through touch, and will help to undress themselves, showing their understanding of daily activities. By 18 months, they will begin to ask for help and begin to imitate adult behaviours like wiping, sweeping or combing.
Children are inherently aware of their vulnerabilities and recognise that the more they become like their important adults, the sooner they will become independent. Copying actions and activities shows that children understand their environment and how to anticipate what will happen next.
Using Lullabies To Foster Emotional Connections
All Through The Night
Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night
Angels watching, e’er around thee,
All through the night
Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night
While the moon her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
O’er thy spirit gently stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
All through the night
This beautiful Welsh lullaby was written by Edward Jones in 1784, the official harpist of the Prince of Wales. It is often sung in Welsh, and the beautiful tune has been used for a number of hymns, particularly at Christmas time. Recorded by a number of singers and male voice choirs, it has even been recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, and even in Monty Python. With six or more verses, we have only included the first three, all with vivid, comforting imagery, and the traditional rocking motif.
Little Boy Blue
Little Boy Blue,
Come blow your horn.
The sheep’s in the meadow,
The cow’s in the corn.
Where is the boy
Who looks after the sheep?
He’s under the haystack,
Fast asleep.
Will you wake him?
No, not I,
For if I do,
He’s sure to cry.
This ancient rhyme was first printed in Tommy Thumb’s Little Song Book around 1744. From the description, Little Boy Blue was a “hayward”, a parish officer employed to keep the livestock off the village crops. It may have been inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear (first performed in 1606), or even earlier, in George Homans book “English Villagers of the 13th Century”, where he states: “Little Boy Blue was a hayward.” The rocking and repetitive motif of the rhythm of the song gives it its characteristic lullaby lilt, with an unhurried feeling of going back and forth, back and forth. The imagery of farmstock in meadows, although problematic to a village crops, instead has the feeling of a warm summer’s afternoon, warm enough to even send the hayward/guard to sleep.
Danny Boy
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.
The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling,
It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow,
Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow,
It’s I’ll be there in sunshine or in shadow,—
Oh, Danny boy, Oh Danny boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying,
If I am dead, as dead I well may be,
Ye’ll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Avé there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!
This modern lullaby has been adopted by Ireland. It was written by an English solicitor in 1910, to an Irish folk tune. Despite the fiddler being unnamed in the original transcription, the tune was named Londonderry Air, and evokes strong emotions felt by everybody, of loss, departure and death. Even more than this, it creates feeling of hope and meaning, of reuniting and togetherness. It is this reason that makes it such a powerful contender for modern lullabies.
Social and personal development is very much a learning experience. Through repeated interactions, we learn to hope, trust, dream, and to love. And what better way to share love than through soothing lullabies.
