Saturday, July 19, 2008

Everyone's a Critic

I have never been much of a singer. In sixth grade the school's choir director concluded that I was an alto and made me sit by the boys. Yuck! It wasn't that I minded being near the boys, I just took it as a personal affront to my budding femininity. I finished out the season and have refused to be part of any choir since.

The humiliation didn't stop there. I never really got the hang of singing alto, so at church I would sing the soprano line of the hymns an octave lower. Go figure my sister would reprimand me by saying "You're throwing me off!" I'm sure she was right.

By the time I was in high school, I just mouthed the words.

But then I had children. They were lovely. They were little. They were tone-deaf. My desire to be a good mom was stronger than years of programmed embarrassment. So I sang my children lullabies. They never criticized my singing.

Until last night.

We are on day three of our summer vacation and the Caboose has been having a hard time falling asleep each night. So last night, at 10:30 I was trying to lull him to sleep. I was singing. He was crying. I didn't take it personally until...

"No! No sing!"
"You want me to stop singing?"
"Yes!"
"OK..."

Two minutes later he was asleep.

When, exactly, did my two year old turn into Simon Cowell?

8 comments:

FOX said...

FUNNY!

I can't sing either. I am going to give up on this idea until the next life! Join me?

Garity said...

Oh my gosh I actually have a stitch in my side from laughing! You know what Jackie Farrell sounds like when she sings right? For the longest time her daughter hated hearing her sing! At least this is what she told me after Weston told me not to sing anymore...maybe she was just trying to make me feel better. Anyway, you can sing around me anytime. I can't sing either...that's why I was in marching band

tz said...

I actually use singing as a punsihment for my children...when they're acting up in the car I'll belt one out and they hold their ears and beg me to stop!

tz said...

I actually use singing as a punsihment for my children...when they're acting up in the car I'll belt one out and they hold their ears and beg me to stop!

Vern said...

I am 16 riding in my friend Amy's Peugeot singing along to "Almost Paradise" until my friend Kara begged me to stop. Thanks for bringing back that very fond memory.

Dodi said...

My youngest also throws me under the bus regarding my singing. It's lovely, isn't it?

Randi said...

Oh that's funny! I have a friend who's ward choir director asked her to please NOT join the choir. I'm not sure which is worse...

Brittany said...

Owe, that one stung I am sure. I also am not a good singer, so image my horor when I was called as the primary chorister. That was the longest year of my life. So far the kids haven't told me I sound bad, so maybe I should stop while I am ahead.