Sing Like No One’s Listening…Unless I’m Around

– Posted in: Crazy Tammy, Family, Kid Friends, Mouths of Babes, Newt, Parenting, Personal Insanity

There’s some sort of music coming out of my son constantly. Con-stant-ly. He’s like a human jukebox. He sings Lady Gaga while he’s building Legos. He makes up musical scores as background while he’s playing with super heroes. He croons while he’s showering. He hums while he’s eating. He whistles while he’s drawing. If he could sing in his sleep the way his sister talks, I’m sure he would.

And then there are the sound effects. The rocket noises. The sirens. The growling. The beat box. It’s like living with that guy from Police Academy.

Newt is 8-years-old, and he’s a lot like his dad, who apparently used to sit on the couch and practice making weird noises all day long. If you ever hear my husband tell a story, it’ll be laced with little sound enhancements (“So then I sort of go zhoop and then pwing! It’s out.”) And he’s always humming. Even in grocery store. And the bathroom. Which will be awesome when the kids are older because teenagers totally don’t care about that sort of behavior.

I come from a long line of hummers (no, not that kind of hummers). My mom hummed all the time. I remember being on a trip with her and contemplating jumping out of a moving car because I didn’t think I could take much more of it (so really, maybe the problem is me. . .).

And I like to hum and sing. But I’ve generally gotten it under control. My biggest problem is “broken record syndrome.” Last night, I had insomnia. And just to make my life more miserable, I couldn’t shake that horrible “Friday” song — the one by Rebecca Black, the poor girl whose parents tried to make her a pop star. That’s what you get for looking up stuff to show your husband on YouTube.

Anyway, I’ve been trying to encourage the boy to practice “singing in his head” so that 1) I won’t go completely insane, and 2) he won’t get his ass kicked at school. Why I really worry about this I’m not sure (other than the part about me going insane). Because when it comes down to it, the peer pressure, not his mother, is what’s eventually going to take care of this.

And that really is the painful, annoying truth. As this goes on, he’s going to get more and more razzing from friends. So the one place he should feel completely loved and accepted is at home. With his mom. His patient, wonderful, perfect mom who loves every sound that comes out of his mouth and would never, in a million years, ask him to keep it down or cool it for a while.

Who knows. Maybe that nice lady will show up soon. Until then, I guess I’ll just do my best to grit my teeth and sing along.

Next Post:

21 Comments… add one

RottenMom September 1, 2011, 10:44 am

Unless his peers at school think it's kind of cool that he can do all of those sound effects!
My recent post It's Official

Padded Cell Princess September 1, 2011, 1:19 pm

I think it may also be a bit of female jealousy because no matter how hard we try, we are simply unable to make those car noises! 😉
My recent post Surveillance Camera Humiliation

PartlySunny September 1, 2011, 6:45 pm

Oh sure. Come in and be one of those people who find positive attributes in every child. How do you expect me to pout with people like you around?

PartlySunny September 1, 2011, 6:48 pm

I can't make the crazy, growling animal noises either. No matter how hard I try. He can do this super low, deep in the back of his throat thing that freaks me out. But my roommate (female) in college could do it too, so obviously I'm just deficient.

Padded Cell Princess September 1, 2011, 10:45 pm

um, no offense to your past roommate, but I think that's a deficiency you should be glad for…yikes!
My recent post Surveillance Camera Humiliation

Kelly DeBIe September 2, 2011, 3:07 am

So I thought my son was the only one that sang Lady Gaga songs while playing with his LEGOs. Hahahahaha
My recent post Four More

danniehill September 2, 2011, 4:35 am

Hey. He might be the next Bieber! Let him sing. I didn't learn to make weird sounds 'til I was in college. Helped me out in the army, lol.

Love your post and seeing how you care!
My recent post Wild Elephants and the Camera Flash

Sweaty September 2, 2011, 4:41 am

I could definitely relate to that feeling, but I guess part of being a good mother means we have to prepare our kids to be able to fare well in society. It's survival of the fittest out there. I always told myself that it's better for my kid to hear it from me rather than from other people, because for sure, coming from me, it's told out of love.
My recent post Most Likely To… Fall Head Over Heels (Part 4)

ByWordofMouthMusings September 2, 2011, 2:56 pm

What was the movie where the kid hummed all the time, even while eating? ack, my brain!!!!

ByWordofMouthMusings September 2, 2011, 2:57 pm

OMGosh, it came to me – Matt Dillon in The Flamingo Kid!!!!!!!
My recent post Homeschool. Every minute.

PartlySunny September 2, 2011, 3:51 pm

The best is when he does a version of the "Pasta" spoof on Bad Romance and makes up the lyrics — "A la, a la pasta."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxHs3PWy3TI

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about. It's not that funny, and he pretty much drives me nuts with it all the time. And, of course, he only heard it once and it stuck like glue.

alexandra September 2, 2011, 5:53 pm

All 3 of my children sing.

There are strict orders to never poke fun, never discourage.

They sing while they play, they sing while they do homework: I want them to have a place where they can let their heart soar.

And no worries.

Singing frees a part of you, that speech can't.

Lovely, lovely post here.

Bel September 5, 2011, 4:53 am

Isaac does the EXACT same thing. Especially the beat box. Out of control with the beat box.

IveBecomeMyParents September 6, 2011, 10:07 pm

If there's one lesson here it's that you aren't alone. Well, that and maybe that kids are like the greatest sources of blog material ever.

You managed to describe my son PERFECTLY. Legos, Hot Wheels or an old twisted paper clip — it doesn't matter, there's a full-on sound track for it. He gets so into it that we have to practically scream in his ear to get him out of whatever whacked-out world he's in. I don't even notice it anymore until a newcomer to the house asks if he's always doing that.

Thanks for reassuring me that mine's not the only one!
My recent post Fresh batch of favorite tweets!

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:14 am

That's so funny — my husband has begged him, "If you do end up like Justin Bieber, would you just promise me you won't put rapping in the middle of a song? That's just so irritating."

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:16 am

Then I must love my kids A LOT.:)

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:17 am

Now I'm going to have to go watch that. Can you believe I've never seen it? Embarrassing.

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:19 am

Of course he does. . . ((sigh))

Coffee? Soon? Schools finally in!

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:21 am

Ugh, isn't it GREAT to know you're not alone? I think the best thing I ever do for myself is to go hang out with my friends' sons. Because every time I think Newt is weird, I just look at them and say, "No, they're just 8. They're all crazy!"

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:23 am

Hahaha!

PartlySunny September 7, 2011, 5:27 am

See, you're just too nice. When he's sung, "I'm on the edge, of glory, and I'm hangin' on the edge with you," for the 125th time, I want to bang my head against the table. Because I'M hangin' on the edge.

This is why I'm a stress case.

Leave a Comment

CommentLuv badge