I love music and so does my daughter. Although neither of us is a gifted singer or musician, we have always shared our love of music with each other. Music is a universal language. “Mommy and Me” classes that encourage parents to bond with their young children through singing and dancing have increased in popularity in recent years. Whether it played on the radio on their first date or they selected it to commemorate their first dance at their wedding, all of us know couples who have a special song. One of the most memorable episodes of ‘The Cosby Show” was when Rudy led the family in a musical performance for the Huxtable grandparents’ anniversary. Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve heard about rapper Jay-Z’s musical tribute to his daughter Blue Ivy. The song “Glory” may be the most popular celebrity song at the moment but Jay-Z is not the first artist to create a song for their child. Lauryn Hill created the song “Zion” for her first born. Will Smith dedicated the song “Just The Two Of Us” to his son. K-Ci and Jo Jo’s hit “All My Life” was penned for Jo Jo’s daughter. The song that most celebrates my love for my daughter is “For You I Will” by Monica from the Space Jam soundtrack.
This past weekend as my daughter (and the rest of the world) mourned the passing of Whitney Houston, the song that she remembered was not “I Will Always Love You” or “The Star Spangled Banner”. When my daughter thinks of Whitney Houston, she immediately thinks of the duet with CeCe Winans from the ‘Waiting to Exhale’ soundtrack titled “Count On Me”. I created a cassette tape of “love” songs for my daughter many years ago added the song to our special playlist. Although she is 18 years old now and has had an IPod for many years, my daughter still listen’s to her cassette tape.
I am a fan of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. I feel like I’ve watched Bobbi Kristina grow up. She is the same age as my daughter. I am so saddened that this young lady will have to continue her transition into adulthood without her mother. I hope that Whitney’s music is able to bring comfort to her daughter.
Music really is a universal language. Parents and foster parents, sometimes a song is a great way to say “I love you” in a special way. Dedicating a special song to your child can open up lines of communication when you can’t figure out how to express your emotions to your child. A special song can also console your child when things get rough. (I’m sure you’ve figured about my favorite genre of music by now.)
I dedicate this blog post to Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina. “Count On Me” video
Nicki Sanders, MSW, Chief Visionary Officer
The Teen Toolbox provides youth portfolio development and civic engagement and academic enrichment opportunities to help teens set goals for life after high school and create a road map to reach those goals through its PACKAGED FOR SUCCESS™ Programs.