to sing harmonies in toddler music sessions?

[PrincessPotsie]

Am I turning into one of those annoying mums? I always remember a v annoying dad doing sit ups during 'Row Row Row Your Boat' at a playgroup I once went to. He definitely was BU...

Oh thats brilliant! I would not think you were BU but i would think you were delightfully bonkers and you would amuse me :)

I hate baby music classes, I have only done normal singing at home or at the end of toddler groups.

I would love you. I like nothing more than seeing someone doing their own thing. If you were rubbish and unmusical I'd love it more. I might also think you were a little tiny bit of a loon, but I say go for princess.

Yanbu... Mums and tots is boooooring, I'd appreciate the laugh.

Aw OP I hope you're ok.
We are smiling at your harmonising, but in a nice way...hope you're not upset by any of it.

YANBU. Very sad at all the boring conformist spoil-sports saying YABU. Do what you like. Sing your heart out! Start wearing purple! Here's to being "that mum"!

I can't understand how this thread has gone. I lead singing at toddler groups and lead baby and toddler music classes. I can't do harmonies to save my life but would be perfectly happy for anyone else to do them so long as they didn't overpower the tune. Very occasionally people do and it's great.

Ps. Common practice in folk clubs. And it sounds lovely! To those that wish to break your spirit I quote Leonard Cohens immortal line: "but you don't really care for music, do ya"

Right I'm back after a busy day yesterday. Glad to see I've become slightly less unreasonable as the thread's gone on . Loads of you have made me really laugh and I think we need to know why the mum was asked to leave your group meister?

Feel like I need to clarify a few things drip feed! I'm a music teacher on maternity leave but not a showy off, beyonce stylee person at all! I'm an alto (lower voice) so am definitely not belting out descant, warbling, soprano parts and I'm not singing particularly loudly and only harmonising bits of the songs.

It's not a paid music class (and some of the ones you lot have been to sound awful) but Music, Rhythm and Rhyme at our local library. All mums and grannies are lovely but most take it very seriously when it's supposed to be fun!

There was no giggling or finger pointing but I'm always worrying what people think of me hence the AIBU. Wish I don't care really but we're all so judgemental about everything aren't we?

Lots of good points about how it's good to be different and 'that mum'. Maybe one day I won't give a shit and then I really will belt those harmonies out!

YABU. If all the parents who can actually sing are trilling away with fancy harmonies, the rest of us normal folk are just mouthing the words and hoping no-one notices, who will be singing the actual melody?

I can't sing. And I'm really tone deaf. ( I can watch X Factor and have no idea if someone is excellent or dire).

So I can honestly say I wouldn't notice.

(I do take my children to music groups as they love it. I sing very very quietly there as I know from people telling me that I'm a terrible singer. At home I sing loudly for the DC but I wouldn't in public!)

Well this thread shows that in a typical music group you will have a few who aren't great at singing, a majority of normal types who sing the melody and would never step out of line for fear of being sniggered at, and possibly, "that mum" who might harmonise, though it might be quietly. And the leader who will sing the tune. So I think the children will not be scarred by a lack of melodic leadership for "Wheels on the bus". Phew.

This thread has made me realise what I really think - that there should be children's music classes that use real music – the greatest pop, rap, really interesting folk recordings, jazz, exciting classics. Complexity and harmonies everywhere. Though we sing nursery rhymes sometimes, I don't play my DC "kids' music" at home, they just get really into whatever we're into and gets played a lot.

Great post Balaboosta. I have to accept I am "that mum" in many ways though entirely NOT through setting out to show off or prove anything. Mostly through boredom and social ineptitude. But so what.

Princess lovely title, lovely thread. I say GO FOR IT but not harmonies, that's passé. Next time, channel the shy red headed nun from Sister Act - wait till everyone's limped to the end of "Wind the bobbin" and then shut your eyes and let 'em have it.

Where has anyone said the children might be scarred by lack of melodic leadership?

Ha yes Hibiscus!

Bee how can I be more like you then? Give me some tips? My mum is always v worried about what people think so I wonder if that's where it comes from?

JesusIn I looooove Sister Act and especially that bit!

Where has anyone said the children might be scarred by lack of melodic leadership?

No one I was being sardonic, sorry. Was just responding to the objections about if how we indulge in such behaviour there will be no one to sing the melody that the children need. Just pointing out it looks like there's no danger of everyone doing it.

Ha potsie I don't think I can help you there! Half the time I appear not to give a crap what people think of me, it's because I haven't even realised I'm out of line. Before this thread I would never have imagined a bit of harmonising would be so risible, for example.

I used to help out at a toddler music sessions, there was a lady there who always harmonised, no one cared, it sounds lovely. You don't have to teach toddlers one basic melody for them to get it.

Most of the parents used to whoooop and cheer at the end of wind the bobbin up and we used to do lots of free styling to "I am the music man".
We are all obviously wankers of the worst kind.

this would grate in me im afraid

I would have thought it's far more important to be modelling an enjoyment of music and creativity than modelling singing all the right notes in the right order. We've got to take joy in life where we can. Harmonise away OP, I don't think YABU at all.

Im sorry for the don't stand out don't perform lobby, but unless there's cringey taking over / derailing group awfulness, why hate someone just joining in and having fun!

I'm odd I know, but singing in harmony feels nice. It's a physical pleasure, and so I say, carry on and enjoy it... Music is fun.

Yes that's it Quodlibet sessions like that are about learning to love music, to enjoy participating, it really doesn't matter who does what or how good you are at doing it. The most important bit is that everyone has fun.
I think I must offend people very day, I am way too enthusiastic, I use annoying words like cuppa, veggie, kiddies, I am basically a ginormous cunt. It's just I didn't realise until I started using Mumsnet.

OP, I hope you're doing 'microphone fingers' Whitney-style.

I really, really wish it was socially acceptable to do this. I've just been at a church conference where there was a group of women from Zimbabwe. Their spontaneous music-making, with layers of harmony, made me weep for the very stilted, terribly English songs that were all the rest of us had to offer.

I bet they don't worry about corrupting their toddlers' understanding of melody with a few notes of harmony. In fact, I bet their toddlers grow up improvising harmonies. And then end up singing like .

And yeah, I sang in harmony in church this morning. So shoot me .

That children's choir is beautiful Chicken, and good on you for being "that woman" who sang in harmony in church.