Comments on: Everything I needed to know in life I learned from the Children’s Songbook

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:29:16 +0000

Thank you for a wonderful post. This is my first visit to this site, and found this topic to be of high interest to me. Just today I had a primary precidency meeting where we were discussing the needs of some our children and the 2009 (family) theme. We worried about ‘offending’ some of the children who have special situations. It was decided that we would approach the theme with that “aspirational” (#41) attitude. It’s good to know that we are heading in the right direction! Thanks again for a great read!

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:34:44 +0000

Teancum, re:43
I have heard a few recent references by apostles and other leaders regarding the perfect picture that is often painted of families, etc. To paraphrase, my take of their comments is that they are well aware that many of our circumstances are not the perfect ideal that is often conveyed, but they reiterate that the solution is not to lower the standard. So, I would expect to see the ideal continue to be conveyed in song, talks, pictures, etc., but a balance will also be given of tolerance, acceptance, and love for all and a realization that we will not all perfectly fit the ideal.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:16:44 +0000

Rebecca, that is very good to know. I’m glad you guys made an effort to say something about it.

By: Homer

Homer — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:07:26 +0000

Dang it, you made me cry. That was wonderful and thanks for just sayin’ it like it is. I was the Primary pianist for a year way back when I first got married. I loved it. I also love it when I’m back-slapping with the other BP and high council types at our meetings when I say that it was my favorite calling ever. They always look at me funny. I tell them you just play your best and the kids love you. You can even make mistakes and the kids just keep singing their little hearts out. It doesn’t matter how good you are–just that you’re there doing your part. Plus, it didn’t hurt that I was a man and I could glare at those little twerps on the first row and make them sit up and pay attention. The chorister called me “Mr. Music”–so did the kids.

By: Rebecca J

Rebecca J — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:57:52 +0000

BHodges, it's funny that you would bring up "Home," as I very nearly said earlier in the thread that the only family song I would not miss was "Home." But I just didn't want to go there. I also don't think its intent was anything sinister, but the fact that my husband and daughter independently came to the same conclusion I did, that it effectively (if unintentionally) marginalized women. My daughter was so distressed about it, actually, that she wrote a letter to Cheryl Lunt (Gen. Primary President). I wrote about this on my personal blog. Since then she's gotten a reply (I think Sis. Lunt's secretary sent it)--something to the effect of "we care about being respectful of mothers, too," and that they forwarded her letter to the curriculum committee. Though I don't expect it to go any further than that, I was pleased they took the trouble to respond. Our Primary actually dropped "Home" from the program altogether, partly (heck, maybe mostly) because of my daughter's complaint. Plus, I don't think any of the ladies were too fond of it, anyway. :)

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:01:46 +0000

The song is here:
http://tinyurl.com/4dc6f3

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:00:52 +0000

“wisdom TRUE,” rather. Oops.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:57:30 +0000

Teancum: I wondered the same thing as I prepared the Primary program. After consulting with the Primary presidency I elected to drop verse two of the song “Home” altogether.

“Home is where there’s father, with strength and wisdom too.
Home is where there’s mother And all the children, too.”

There were several reasons I wanted to drop the verse, though I personally don’t believe it was written to intentionally marginalize women.

By: Teancum

Teancum — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:26:03 +0000

I would be interested in thougthts on how to deal with the problem of using “perfect family songs” in a Church that emphasizes family, but is full of imperfect families. Do we drop them (the songs, not the imperfect families), revise them, or just continue to use them to teach an ideal? I am not being confrontational and have no hidden agenda. I am seriously interested to hear how people think we should address this issue.

By: Rebecca J

Rebecca J — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:45:02 +0000

Karla #39 – Thank you for making that point – it hadn’t occurred to me before. (But sorry, I dare not repeat my family’s crazy versions of any of these songs – they’re not horribly offensive, but I wouldn’t want to ruin them for anyone the way they’ve been ruined for me. ;) Really, I couldn’t tell you how many songs my husband has ruined for me, in church and without.)

BHodges #23 & #36 – The script for your program sounds (reads? heh) wonderful. Your ward is fortunate to have you in Primary. :)

Alex #31 – Yes, “meadows with Grover” is hilarious mostly because it was sincerely and innocently misunderstood. And just the visual image of walking through a meadow with Grover and picking flowers for Mom is funny in a surreal way. Of course, I am going to hear that line that way from now on. Which is why I won’t share anything my family has un-innocently done to the Primary songs.