Explain it to me like I was seven

I have two of the most precious nieces, and since these are my only children, I get the pleasure of taking them to summer camp every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning. I go to their house, eat breakfast with them, and then off to camp we go. They are nine and six. I love this age.

We listen to my iPod on the way to camp with my handpicked selection of songs just for them from some of our favorite movies: Jonah, Shrek, Robots, Aladdin, and Shark Tale. We each sing our favorite songs to the top of our lungs, and just start the day off right!

On this particular morning, “All Star” by Smash Mouth came on, and I decided to share with my two little people about theme songs. I asked if they knew what a theme song is, and they answered, “No.” Then I proceeded to share that a theme song is the song that tells you about the character of a person. They said, “Oh, yeah we get it.” (Being the big movie buffs they are I figured they would.) I played my theme song, and in unison they said, “Shrek!” Then I realized that they didn’t get it.

I tried to explain it again. “Not the character in the movie, but the message in the music that depicts my character.” I could feel their confused glares on the back of my head. Okay, let me try one more time as if I’m REALLY talking to seven year olds.

“A theme song tells you something about the person that really likes the song. This song tells you I believe good things can happen all the time.” Not to my surprised the six year old gets it first. "Oh, Auntie, you mean like how Dora is all about me, so that’s my theme song?” “Exactly!” (We tease her about speaking Spanish, when none of us can; so we’ve nick-named her Dora.) As for the nine year old, who is very logical and all of this is just foolishness to her, she’s still pondering the relevance of the whole exercise – a week later.

Do you have a theme song? Do you have a song that makes you sit up straighter, and helps to get you through a crazy day? If so, what is it?

Comments

[Dawn Goldberg]

I've thought about the whole theme song thing, especially in terms of all the ring tones available. I keep thinking that I should be able to find a song that would be a perfect ring tone for Dawn.

Nope, can't find one song that would be my theme song. Maybe it's that a different song each day might be a theme song. Just no Dawn theme song (and if you all start singing, "Dawn, go away," I'll cry. :)