Ezra has two favorite albums. Both are children’s albums full of catchy and fun songs that are not too repetitive and probably geared to children slightly older than him. One focuses more on education such as names of the planets. One focuses more on good behaviors such as washing your hands. He loves both equally, but depending upon his mood he will request one over the other. Some songs make him dance, some songs make him sing, and some songs help him fall asleep.
Recently, we have been pressing “skip” on our CD player when one of the songs comes up; about half way through the tune Ezra starts to cry. After this happened a couple of times I began to suspect the song’s content was upsetting Ezra.
The song begins, “Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.” (Okay, maybe they are slightly repetitive.) The lyrics continue to explain how saying goodbye is upsetting. Ezra already knows this. He recognizes the word goodbye as what Amanda and I say when we drop him off at daycare. Saying goodbye is one of the only sad things Ezra has experienced. Songs about break-ups, loneliness, your dog dying, and other tropes of country music – do not have any relevance in his short list of life experiences. I hope this is the case for a long time.
For now, adieu with the Muppets Saying Goodbye (not the song making him cry) . . .
1 comment:
I agree with Ezra. Goodbye is a sad word. I remember my Grandmother (Ezra's Great-grandmother) never wanting us to use the word good bye. See you later, or just a simple I love you when leaving. She always said goodbye was to final. Superstition, I suppose. I never asked her the details as a child why she disliked the word. The word goodbye has always left me with a sad feeling.
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