Anyone else get songs stuck in their head throughout the day?? It happens to me constantly, and sometimes, I just go with it and sing out loud. Just as if I were in a musical. Let’s be honest, we’d all be happier if life were a musical. If you don’t believe me, test it out during the “witching hour”. Right before dinner, when you’re trying to pull something together for your hangry kids to eat…. Pour a glass of wine, turn on your favorite playlist and dance your way through dinner prep and children’s cries.
At first, it will make them cry harder. That just means it’s working. Soon enough, they’ll be dancing right along with you (or at least laughing at you)… It’s like magic!
And it’s not just dinner time, it works at all times of the day. I’m not talking about Disney songs, those are for the kids… except Dwayne Johnson’s rap in Moana, that’s for all to enjoy. This list is for the grown-ups. I highly recommend the older songs, to really muster up those good feelings. Here is my current hit list, feel free to reference the next time you find yourself in any of these situations…
“Cry Me a River” – Justin Timberlake – It’s pretty obvious why this song kicks off the album. You tell your child that they can’t have a milkshake for breakfast, and they cry as if the world were coming to an end. You let them cry it out until they feel better, but you obviously stick to your decision because, well, you don’t know if Chick-fil-a is even open before 7 AM. I imagine this is a little like how Justin felt when singing this song to Britney…. Get over it girl.
“Shake it off” – Taylor Swift – Along those same lines, when kids get hurt, they tend to be a little dramatic. I’m not talking about the stitches my boys’ (yup, both) just got… Those deserve every dramatic response. And believe me, I wasn’t calm. I’m talking about the tiny scrape your child got from going down the slide too fast. When they freak out every time you come within a foot of said “boo boo”, you need to sing them this song.
“Try Again” – Aaliyah – My middle child always wants to keep up with my oldest. When he struggles with a project (cough cough, a game on the iPad), he gets VERY frustrated. When the whining begins, I sing the refrain…. “If at first you don’t succeed, then dust yourself off and try again”…. He hates it and usually gets even more upset, but I at least enjoy myself enough to keep my cool.
“She’s a Maniac” – Hall & Oats – But I substitute “she” for “he” because my one year old isn’t as much of a maniac… yet. If you have boys, you hear this song whenever there’s wrestling, jumping off furniture, attempted break dancing, or really any random burst of energy. So, all day.
“You Need to Calm Down” – Taylor Swift – Another go-to when the craziness takes over… Kids, seriously, “you need to calm down. you’re being too loud”. Plus, a second T-Swift song never hurt anyone.
“Poker Face” – Lady Gaga – Don’t sing this one out loud and give yourself away, but it’s a good one to sing in your head when you need to keep a straight face. Your kids are questioning the reality of the toy fairy coming to take their toys away if they don’t clean them up before bed? That adorable cockeyed expression could break you and make you laugh in the middle of a “white lie”. Keep that poker face mama!
“Beautiful” – Christina Aguilera – I wish I had a sentimental vibe to go along with this one, but it only pops into my head because of the first four words… “Don’t look at me”. Almost every time my boys get upset and start pouting, these are the four words that they say to me.
“Oops I did it again” – Britney Spears – This one is for me and sometimes “plays” when no kids are even around. I make a lot of the same mistakes over and over… mostly forgetting things like a water bottle, a lunch box, or sometimes an entire backpack… this obviously plays on repeat.
“Whatcha Say” – Jason Derulo – My kids know Jason well, he’s one of our favorites. This song is for those times when you have no idea what the heck your children are saying. Especially common in the early years when they’re still learning how to speak, or in the later years when they’re sitting in the third row of the car and expect you to hear every mumble that comes out of their mouth.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” – Kelli Clarkson – Are all three kids screaming at the same time? Did you just drop a huge, much-needed smoothie all over the newly cleaned kitchen floor? Did you just accidentally dump the entire pan of boiled pasta down the drain with all three starving kids looking at you expectantly? Whatever the dilemma, this song applies. It miraculously makes you feel like you can overcome any obstacle sent your way!
“Red Red Wine” – Bob Marley – Towards the end of the day, singing this song helps pass the time and gets you excited until you can actually pour yourself that large glass of previously mentioned red wine.
“God must have spent a little more time on you” – NSYNC – I’m rounding off my album with this amazingness. This song is for those cuddles before bedtime, or really any cuddles that happen at any time. The BEST feeling, where you’re able to take a deep breath and all you want to do is thank God for these beautiful little children that He brought into your life.