At a garage sale recently, my daughter and I bought some records to add to our dusty collection. While we compiled the new purchases with our old records, my family had a heck of a time controlling their laughter as we counted how many Barbra Streisand albums I own. I don’t care. I have listened to Barbra Streisand for at least 45 years. I have always enjoyed her voice, her sentiments are clear, and her songs inspiring.
I can’t remember exactly when I first heard Barbra Streisand’s “Carefully Taught/Children Will Listen”— a mash-up of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s “Carefully Taught” from South Pacific and Stephen Sondheim’s “Children Will Listen” from Into the Woods — but I know it was when our daughter was a little girl. I’d totally forgotten about “Children Will Listen” until recently when I was listening to Barbra’s album Barbra Streisand Live in Concert 2006 while push-mowing our lawn — hopefully for the last time before winter sets in. Slight digression: I enjoy the sound of the blades swishing in and out of the music I’m listening to. And the physical energy and connection with the earth while push-mowing is lovely. In its outdated simplicity, such mowing reminds me that progress (gas mower) isn’t always so progressive.
Anyhow, I put in my earbuds and started to listen to Barbra Streisand Live in Concert 2006. On the second track of the album, in “Jason’s Theme,” she speaks about the importance of actively parenting children over her son Jason’s instrumentals. The music is gentle and her sentiments about parenting are rich and full of wisdom. Then seamlessly, the track turns over to “Carefully Taught/Children Will Listen.” The words in this song are exactly what I look for in my music — wise, encouraging, and uplifting.
The points of the song that stand out for me are that children are sponges as well as lie detectors; they will watch your actions while they listen to your words. If there is a disconnect between thought and action, they will believe action over thought, and their memories of us long after we are gone will be the combination of both thought and action.
Here are my favorite lines: “What do you leave to your child when you’re dead? Only whatever you put in its head.” And “Guide them but step away. Children will glisten.” (Not a typo.)
When I am gone, I know my daughter will continue to glisten in her own light, and that light will be reflected in the memories of our intentional conversations, our laughter, and the love we shared. I also trust that she will remember me in the strength and integrity of consistent thoughts and character.
The song is most definitely worth a listen — I trust you might find a line or two that will resonate with you.
What song and music will inspire you and the children around you? What will you put in your children’s head by way of your example? And how will you guide them and step away?
Resources
• Finale: Children Will Listen – Into The Woods
• Modeling Behavior For Children Has Long Lasting Effects
• Role Model the Behavior You Want to See From Your Kids
• Getting Along Together: Developing Social Competence in Young Children
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