Parents tend to forget that silliness is part of childhood. They themselves stop being silly in front of their children. I often hear them mention “silly,” but not in a nice way, usually telling the young child to stop being silly. This Grandma cannot blame them. I was the same.
Now, as a grandma, I am just silly. I run around dancing and singing – not well—just silly. I love when a grandchild says I am silly. I encourage silly. One fabulous way to encourage silly is the song, “On Top of Spaghetti.” Even the youngest grandchildren in high chairs love noodles and pasta and I usually introduce the song while they are eating noodles and pasta and I am singing to them. Increasing vocabulary in our grandchildren means being a constant motor mouth, and it is just easy to sing old fashioned songs that have not been introduced to our grandchildren.
I not only sing the song. I act out the song. I make faces and funny noises. I have even been known to take leftover meatballs and bury them in the backyard with a young grandchild!
If you want a visual to show the grandchild as the song is being sung or do not remember the tune, go to YouTube.
ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI
On top of spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table,
And on to the floor,
And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.
It rolled in the garden,
And under a bush,
And then my poor meatball,
Was nothing but mush.
The mush was as tasty
As tasty could be,
And then the next summer,
It grew into a tree.
The tree was all covered,
All covered with moss,
And on it grew meatballs,
And tomato sauce.
So if you eat spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
Hold on to your meatball,
Whenever you sneeze.
Enjoy your grandchildren and your silly side. As grandparents, we do not have to be the one who shows “the stiff upper lip” side of life to our grandchildren.
I have also sent a copy of the song to my grandson at sleep away camp. He said the bunkmates and he loved it! Sometimes “old” is just better.
Joy,
Mema
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