Le Freak, C'est Chic
When the crib rail rattling started at 4:30 this morning, I burrowed a little deeper into the pillow, and scrunched my eyes up real tight like, so the husband would only have to crack open his eyes and see that I was SLEEPING REALLY DEEPLY and would go quell the uprising his ownself.
Clack-a clack-a clack-a clack-a clack-a clack-a!
The wee inmate had not started calling out names and demands. I lay still, feeling my left leg and hip go numb. Must. Not. Roll. Over. Do. NOT. Want. To. Seem. Awake.
CLACK-A CLACK-A
*crickets chirping*
BOOM!
The sound of tiny feet in footie pajamas came bustling up to my side of the bed. "Hiya!" says my girl. "I down. Wake up! Get up! Up! Up!"
When I failed to respond, she started to screech and hop up and down. My husband lifted up on one elbow, looked over my STILL TOTALLY SLEEPING (hah) form and said "Aw, Freak-out. Le Freak, c'est chic." totally deadpan. She stopped and glared at him. The important thing here is that SHE STOPPED. It was a good save.
We find ourselves frequently singing to our children in their hour of need. I guess we could quote poetry, or great literature, but we seem to revert to the truly familiar. And it stuns them to see me or the hubs launch into a manic rendition.
My oldest was beginning an epic tantrum over my lack of interest in purchasing her a trio of parakeets to torment. I launched into a very upbeat version of "Big Girls Don't Cry-yi-yi" complete with schizophrenic backing vocals and a weird dance. Now all she has to do it say "Para..." and I start pumping my arms and rotating my hips and she just stops.
Another favorite tantrum song is the chorus of "Tragedy" by the Bee Gees. It really can be a showstopper. As can Bohemian Rhapsody.
We're just a bunch of singing fools here at Three Kid Circus.
Comments
My singing gets my girls to scream, "Daaa-dddy STOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOP!". I then threaten that if they don't behave I'll sing again. It works both ways you know.
Posted by: Lee | November 5, 2004 11:29 AM
...Journey songs. Lots of Journey songs. "one love feeds the fire........who's crying now?".
Posted by: Lee | November 5, 2004 11:33 AM
that's classic! last night i was doing a great 'stray cat strut' complete with dance and strut. but i'll definitely have to do that big girls don't cry... just wait until they're teenagers and you break out into a song and dance! i can see the eye roll and 'oh. my. god!' look already. :)
Posted by: autumn hour | November 5, 2004 12:54 PM
"STOP ... in the name of love ... before you break my heart ..."
complete, of course, with Supreme voice and gestures - my 5 yr old still laughs, but the 7 yr old gives me the eyeroll ;)
Posted by: joan | November 5, 2004 1:06 PM
Owwww! Break it down girlfriend :)
Posted by: Lindsey | November 5, 2004 1:28 PM
So I'm not the only one then huh? Sometimes I make them dance really silly dances with me...how can you pitch a fit when you're mom is acting like a nutcase?
Posted by: turtlemama | November 5, 2004 1:45 PM
A favorite here is "You Can't Always get What You want....", followed closely by Queen's "I'm Going Slightly Mad..."
LOL, and all these years I thought it was just me.
Posted by: chris | November 5, 2004 2:20 PM
Me? I find that the Chicken Dance pretty much shuts everyone up.
Posted by: Jennifer | November 5, 2004 3:04 PM
A Lionel Ritchie tape calmed my stepkiddo down. Fortunately I wasn't in the picture back then or I would have started sobbing myself.
I actually read this post earlier and all I want to say, Mr and Ms Three Kid Circus, is gee THANKS for planting 'Le Freak' in my head all...day...long.
Posted by: GraceD | November 5, 2004 3:40 PM
Sounds like a fun house to be in!! I'd love to run into you at Target one day when you were belting out a song to quell a tantrum.
Posted by: Stephanie C. | November 5, 2004 10:14 PM
:lol: I'll have to remember the singing thing - does it work if you make up you're own lyrics??
"Tragedy, that some one had to re-make this song - it's a tradegy"
Posted by: Bec | November 5, 2004 10:32 PM
Oh yeah, I do that. When they're sad or upset or crying or trying out that sullen teenage thing. But I make up my own words relating to whatever we're doing. It just cracks them up.
Posted by: coolD | November 6, 2004 6:06 AM
When they're impatient we sing the song from Music Machine about a snail that was speedy that crashed and needed more patience!
We have others but the most used one is ..."it's my party and I'll cry if I want to!!..."
Posted by: Hula Doula | November 6, 2004 6:18 AM
I am so jealous that your fake sleepign thing works. Every morning I attempt it and my husband trumps me. I will file your singing method in my noggin for use when my kiddo enters toddlerdum.
Posted by: Cooleyface | November 6, 2004 9:25 AM
Next thing you know, y'all be buying a bus and painting it freaky colors and travelling around in velvet leisure suits.
*snerk*
Posted by: Elizabeth | November 6, 2004 9:28 AM
My daughter puts her hand over my mouth and says "shhhh. No singing Mummy." 9 times out of 10. The other 1 time, she shouts "NOOO!! Sing Twinklin' Stars!!!!" and she continues to shout until I finally sing Twinkle Twinkle at least 7 times.
Posted by: Tammy | November 6, 2004 2:36 PM
I laughed out loud when I read this. One of my teacher friends just showed me her "I'm the meanest mommy in the world" - dance. Quite simple really, but works wonders, I've heard. Maybe you could add this to your repertoire. :)
Posted by: Alex. | November 6, 2004 7:39 PM