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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be irritated by people's inability to sing a decent version of sleeping bunnies?

222 replies

ajamore · 23/09/2009 12:04

This is standard fare at the toddler groups I have been going to for some years now. It seems to me that the success of this song is the gentle "ssshhhh! shushes while the little ones are lying on the floor, followed by (and I believe this is an absolute ESSENTIAL element) the suspenseful "ohhhhh" (getting louder and louder) that then erupts into an enthusiastic clambering upright of the children and a jolly "hop little bunnies, hop hop hop etc.."

So,

"See the sleeping bunnies sleeping till it's nearly noon, come and let us wake them gently with our merry tune"

Oh how still: Ssshhhhh, Shhhhhh (finger to lips action by all mothers/fathers/nannies/childminders etc.)

Are they ill? (always find that bit a bit disturbing to be honest): Shhhh Shhhhh

Wake up soon, Wake up soon

BIT OF A PAUSE then a very slowly building Ohhhhhhhhh and then,

Hop little bunnies hop hop hop; Hop little bunnies hop, hop, hop; Hop little bunnies hop hop hop; Hop then stop.

I am fed up of being at groups where it is all rushed and there are no shushes after the "oh how still, are they ill" bits but then there are a few uncoordinated shushes after the "wake up soon, wake up soon" bit if you're lucky. There are awkward glances from all the mothers/fathers/nannies/childminders etc. with this misappropriation of the shushing part because everbody is looking to someone else to come in with the "Hop little bunnies, hop hop hop" and the children are confused too. The shushes have their place in this song but NOT in this bit!!

I would like to know what the Mumsnet consensus is on this VERY important issue.

Thank you.

OP posts:
AmazingMabel · 23/09/2009 13:26

"another went bang" here

Original poster
ajamore · 23/09/2009 13:29

See all those of you with no shushes and ohhhh-ing? You are missing a trick!! Maybe it's a Scottish thing - perhaps we're more raucous up here!

And, FlamingoDuBeke, forgive me for sniggering at your very right on reasonable statement of "...you also have to have a level of tolerance for the fact that every single nursery rhyme and song has lots of different versions and everyone likes their version the best but none of them are wrong"

But how very bloody annoying when everyone is singing their "own" tune in a communal setting not to mention confusing! The thing is, I always try to anticipate what version MOST people are singing, and try to tow the line and adapt accordingly. My point on this is that I think we should strive to arrive at THE best version of Sleeping Bunnies that we possibly can. I DO think that shushing and oohing is the way to go but hey, I'll go with the consensus.

Or maybe I'll just stop going to toddler groups - now there's a thought

OP posts:
ShrinkingViolet · 23/09/2009 13:30

I've never heard of sleeping bunnies. Will my children hate me forever now for depriving them?

(it's "one went pop and another went bang" for the sausages though).

PolarBear74 · 23/09/2009 13:31

I'm intrigued FaintlyMacabre what is the Row row verse with Octopus/pi?

Sleepy bunnies is carnage at our toddler group, it took me about 18 months to learn the words due to the noise going on. I think our toddlers would be happy with half an hour just the Hop little bunnies hop hop hop etc etc... part over and over.

Maybe I should suggest that?

Salleroo · 23/09/2009 13:31

Good lord ladies. Is this what your lives have come to??? Annoyed that sleeping bunnies is not sung properly? Your toddlers couldnt give a toss, they just want to lie down and then jump around.

I lead the singing at our playgroup and dont do any of the OPs sushing etc. Do you think I should be ousted?

I have far more important things to worry about then sleeping bunnies. I hate that bloody song, but sing it 'cos the children love it.

Original poster
ajamore · 23/09/2009 13:32

Oi! You fat sausage lot go and get your own thread! This is the Sleeping Bunnies thread, GOT IT!

OP posts:
Hassled · 23/09/2009 13:34

What are you all talking about?

There were no sleeping bunnies back in the day.

spinspinsugar · 23/09/2009 13:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FaintlyMacabre · 23/09/2009 13:34

'Row row row your boat, gently out to sea
If you see an Octupus, wave hello from me'

Sorry, I should have started a Row your boat thread for this.

BalloonSlayer · 23/09/2009 13:36

ooh faintly, I didn't know that verse, although I know the lion and polar bear one.

< Chuckles at thought she can now get DS2 to bounce hard on Daddy's goolies for a fourth verse >

FaintlyMacabre · 23/09/2009 13:41

Don't forget stream-crocodile-scream as well

BalloonSlayer · 23/09/2009 13:41

ajamore I will see you your sleeping bunnies and up the ante with: is it historically incorrect to add "Fishes in the water/ Fishes in the sea/ We all jump up/ With a one, two THREE " at the end of Ring-a-ring-a-roses?

happywomble · 23/09/2009 13:41

I am relieved DD is now at school and I will never have to sing "5 fat sausages" or "hop little bunnies" again - It was fun singing them the first 20 times!

Original poster
ajamore · 23/09/2009 13:41

Yes, Salleroo you are a disgrace - I think you should do the decent thing and oust yourself. I love your passive aggressive "good lord ladies" and then you reveal your true colours with "I hate that bloody song" (sense a surpressed rage there!!)

It seems to me that people prefer the shortest version possible. What a shame. I agree it's the bedlam of jumping around and knocking the younger ones over that the kids really love about this song. But I really think we should try and build up to it rather than rush through the build up in an unseemly fashion.

OP posts:
hotchachachaingbunny · 23/09/2009 13:41

I heart the sleeping bunnies song, but can't get my dd(6) to sing it anymore

thehairybabysmum · 23/09/2009 13:43

never heard of it at my group, possible think you may need to getoutmore ajamore!!

bumpybecky · 23/09/2009 13:48

dd3 does some excellent fake snores for sleeping bunnies

Original poster
ajamore · 23/09/2009 13:55

Ahh bumpybecky that's sweet - your child is embracing the drama of it all. I guess that's the problem, I see Sleeping Bunnies as a kind of performance whereas others seem to veer towards the song with a few actions.

I also sadly sense the "sweet-jesus-it's- nearly-the-end-of-the-session-get-this-over-with-through-gritted-teeth-and-get-the-hell-out-of-here vibe from some of you . And as for those of you who have missed out altogether on the Sleeping Bunnies

OP posts:
ZZZenAgain · 23/09/2009 13:55

I love the bunnies that will not wake up. They crack me up, lying there while their mums are shaking them and hissing - "wake up, now"

No "ohhhhhh" and "sh" here. I think that would annoy me

ZZZenAgain · 23/09/2009 13:57

yes and it has to be "little bunnies" for me too not sleeping bunnies.

The one that used to really, really annoy me was "Miss Polly has a dolly". I so hate that song and it is only the mums doing all the hand movements anyway. I'm so glad we are past the Miss Polly days.

BagAndShoeLady · 23/09/2009 14:06

Agree with BornTofolk, definately ssssshhhhhhhhhhh wait a while (go to the pub have a drink come back )and then 'wake up little bunnies' - my 13 month old knows when to shhhhh and waits for the wake up little bunnies !! Also disturbed by the "are they ill' bit too!
My problem is why does nobody know the words to Dingle dangle scarecrow??? I go to 4 diff tots groups (I know, I know ,and nobody knows the words except me. Then there are the different versions of wind the bobbin up and I won't even go into Incey wincey spider climbed up a tree down came the snow ...... BUT it's for the kids and do they care - I doubt it and why am i bothered by it ???? because I like going to tots and having a sing song with my little girl even though we sing in the car at mealtimes in the bath.... My friend and i managed to sneak in a bit of Mamma mia yesterday at the request of her LO and the kids loved it - my personal favourite has to be twinkle twinkle chocolate bar lol

stealthsquiggle · 23/09/2009 14:07

OK - confessions of a WOHM who never went to toddler groups with either DC - I have NO idea because I have never heard the song, let alone sung it..

My mother was apoplectic following a visit with DNeice to a (largely American) expat music session in Switzerland though - about the wheels on the bus going round and round all through the town instead of all day long.

MrsMerryHenry · 23/09/2009 14:10

"Hop little bunnies hop hop hop" makes me want to puke. I prefer:

"Wake up bunnies, wake up little bunny and hop hop hop"

  • see? Totally different. I'm sure you lot have all infringed copyright. You guys are sick, sick, sick to do that to such a great song.
RedTartanLass · 23/09/2009 14:15

LOL what a brilliant thread And as for Twinkle Twinkle chocolate bar, my dad's got a rusty old car.
WTF is that all about.
I always like to politely point out to my los if the must sing those words to replace my dad's got a rusty old car, with my dad's got a Jaguar. So much more refined!

PuppyMonkey · 23/09/2009 14:23

I have never heard this one - but our toddler group folded more than a year ago so that's probably why.

Does anybody else hate that fecking Peter Rabbit has a fly upon his nose song? It is so shit.