Parenthood 101: Winging a Song

or How to Score Highly on the SAT

Winging a Song:
 - singing a song although you may not know the words and/or melody
 - often can trick bystanders into thinking the correct words are actually being sung by either singing loudly with confidence, or by singing in a nonchalant manner.
 - extreme case illustrated by Saturday Night Live characters, Garth and Kat.
                        

The Talented Garth and Kat

Why use this as a parenting tool?  Winging can help improve your child's creativity.  More importantly to some, it can help your child be more successful improvising answers at future interviews.  AND it may improve academic scores - especially on essays.  It can even increase your child's score on the writing section of the SAT.   "I would advise writing as long as possible and include lots of facts, even if they're made up," says an MIT professor on how to score highly.***  So maybe the best question would be, why shouldn't you wing songs??


I've learned about winging songs, like I've learned most Parenthood 101 tips, from my mom.  Mom would change perhaps a sentence here and there, or possibly invent a slightly new melody.   She is subtle winger.  Although I have heard interesting versions of old country songs and children's songs like 'Patty Cake' and 'You are my Sunshine."  


However, this is one parenting skill that I don't get to tease my mom about.  After watching videos I took of Nora a couple of weeks ago - I am an extremist winger.   Ben can testify.   I'd post the video as an example - but you have to be a certain age before you completely lose that filter that prevents you from severely winging in a public forum.  And this blog is a pretty big deal.   So instead, here is a dramatic video of Nora being cute.

So Nora, always remember - and I think you will - "You are the sunshine, my pretty sunshine.  You make me happy, the skies are blue.  Oooooh, how much I love you.  Please, sunshine, don't go away!"


***based on a recent study that shows SAT essays are graded on length, not grammatical errors or correctness of facts.