The Music of Motherhood

Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and listen for the music. Allow the music of motherhood to fill your very soul. There are other sounds that will try to distract you from the symphony that belongs solely to you and to those who create the melodies with you. The cacophony of busyness, others’ expectations, daily frustrations, and the demands of life will converge to drown out the song of your heart, but please do not allow those things to keep you from the theme that you were meant to sing as a mother.

The music room of motherhood is so expansive and thrilling.  As the mother of your family and the one who has been charged with creating the atmosphere of your home, you are called to fill it with song. What a glorious assignment!

You are the one who will write the splendid lyrics that describe the childhood of those who live in your home. You will be the one who cheerfully and purposefully composes the lavish melodies that will never leave the hearts of your flock. You, dear mom, are the leading conductor of the happy sounds of life that take place in your home.

One of the most meaningful and blessed assignments given to a mother is to be a songstress, a woman who fills her home and her heart with the strength of a song. Let a song fill your heart every morning when you get out of bed and rub the sleep out of your eyes. Begin to sing a song of faith while you brush your teeth and when you (hopefully!) have the time to comb your hair!

While you are nursing your baby, sing a sweet lullaby and a worship chorus. When the toddlers are cranky, change the atmosphere with a rousing rendition of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music.

Perhaps by this time you are tempted to roll your eyes at me and say in your most respectful yet condescending voice, “But, Carol, I can’t carry a tune! There is no way that I can fill my home with music!”

Oh, sweet mother! Let me assure you that you don’t need to have a degree from the Juilliard School or the voice of Julie Andrews in order to fill your home with song. If you can whistle, you have a song in your heart. If you can play the radio, a CD, or an online music app, you can supply your home with the melodies of life.

The music that you will sing over your children will be both auditory and silent. Some of the music will come from within you while some of it will be purposefully gathered and played while you live your days in the house that you call home.

There will be days when the loudest music played in your home is the silent music of your heart. The song of a mother’s heart is able to heal the fiercest distress and mend the most aching agony. You must never underestimate the power of your song; I can assure you that it will live vibrantly beyond the years that you have been singing it to those under your roof. The song of a mother’s heart will echo through your child’s life into adulthood.

As I held my newborn babies in my arms in the delivery room, I could never hold back the song in my heart. The first song that I sang to all five of my babies was “Jesus Loves Me” because before they knew another thing about life on earth, I wanted each one of them to know that they were loved by Jesus.

If you are at home on any given day at any random hour, that is a signal that music should be playing. Although some experts believe that Mozart enhances your baby’s intelligence, I can tell you that all good music is beneficial in your home. Perhaps it would be fun to invite your parents over and then savor an evening of oldies that they listened to when they were young. Gather in the family room and sing along with the great hymns of the faith that thousands have sung before you. I know many young mothers who allow their children to fall asleep while listening to contemporary worship music.

I loved spending time with my children just singing the songs of childhood! When they were young, we sang simple songs with repetitive lyrics and melodies. Hand clapping was encouraged as we entered into the wonderful world of music together.

And, dear mama, in the music room of your heart, you must make time to dance with your children! The ability to discover the beat of music and then to move to it is foundational to their future musical abilities. A family who dances together is also a family who knows how to sing together, to laugh together, and to turn an ordinary afternoon into a party. You can begin to dance with your baby while he or she is just a newborn and continue to dance until they go away to college.

Excerpt from Rooms of a Mother’s Heart: A Sacred Call and an Eternal Purpose by Carol McLeod, published by Whitaker House. Used with permission.