Our school days start with me barging into the bedrooms of my boys -- first the small one, then the larger one -- and flinging open the curtains. My barging is usually accompanied by a song which has been popular around here for many years:
Good morning dear earth,
Good morning dear sun.
Good morning dear stones,
and the flowers, every one.
Good morning dear beasts,
and the birds in the trees.
Good morning to you,
and good morning to me.
...and if the cat is following me from room to room (which he usually is) I also sing "good morning to kitty's fleas."
For occasional variation I sing THIS SONG, THIS SONG, or my favorite from summers at sleep-away camp:
Good morning to you! Good morning to you!
You look kind of drowsy, in fact you look lousy.
Good morning to you! Good morning to you!
You look kind of sleepy, in fact you look creepy.
However, Tuesday was the first day of school for my boys, and I came up with a whole new way to torment my family.
I'm not sure why, of all possible mornings, I was suddenly inspired to sing this song... but there you go. And why do I seem to know most of the words by heart? That's another mystery altogether. ("Gliddy glub gloopy/Nibby nabby noopy/La la la lo lo/Sabba sibby sabba/Nooby abba nabba/Le le lo lo..." Good lord.)
Next week I might sing this song (my favorite part starts at around 2 minutes, 20 seconds). My younger son and the cat like the newly added song in my morning repertoire. My husband and older son are investing in stock with companies which manufacture earplugs.
And lest you think it's otherwise all bluebirds and sunshine in my house every morning, allow me to disabuse you of that notion. After the singing, it's all downhill. Everyone jostles in our our small kitchen (including the cat who is inevitably underfoot, and complains when he's shifted out of the way) to throw together hasty breakfasts and pack lunches. I get distracted reading the comics section of the newspaper until my husband points out that I should probably get moving, which sends me dashing upstairs to change out of pajamas with reminders flung over my shoulder to please hurry with shoes & socks, and then we're all barreling out the door.
Do you have any favorite morning routines? Any special or unique ways you like to torment your family? Do tell!
Do you have any favorite morning routines? Any special or unique ways you like to torment your family? Do tell!
Goodmorning Starshine is my morning song! I've always wanted to sing your usual song - Good morning dear earth etc - but I can never remember it in the cold light of morning and I don't have a tune for it so Starshine it is. My kid loves the glibby glubby glooby bits!
ReplyDeleteDear h,
DeleteWhen checking various sources, one will notice variations in wording and melody, but this version on YouTube captures the fundamentals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkxqIX5hLUA
Where ever you are, know that I, too, will be singing Goodmorning Starshine tomorrow morning!
mb
Thanks for that link Margaret. I hadn't thought of trying youtube. What a sweet song. I'm going to incorporate it in the long ritual that is getting-up in our house but Starshine will always be my signature tune and now I'll a little more bold as I belt it out knowing I'm not the only one! Holly
DeleteYes! It's good to know I am belting it out in kinship across the globe... As for the "Good morning dear earth" song -- you will notice that in most versions on youtube, it's sung at a plodding pace, in an overly precious and self-conscious manner. In contrast, I sing it at a brisker pace, usually while smoothing hair back from sleepy foreheads (i.e. I forego the fancy hand motions), and most of the time, I make up a second verse, along the lines of "Good morning dear (insert name of child), please open your eyes, to dance and to sing, beneath the blue skies. You will see all your friends and have lots of fun. Please open your eyes and let's greet the sun." (my made-up words are a little different each morning, but I think you get the idea!)
Deletemb