# Are lullabies for children really supposed to help them sleep?



## David Baxter PhD (Feb 25, 2010)




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## Domo (Feb 25, 2010)

As opposed to the fully clothed bear eating you? :lol:


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## David Baxter PhD (Feb 25, 2010)

The night time rituals we grew up with are not much better. 

_Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take_​And don't get me started on Grimm's Fairy Tales... or really any fairy tales. They were just gruesome.


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## Andy (Feb 25, 2010)

Isn't "Ring around the Rosey" actually singing about the plague?

Not really a lullaby... but a kids song anyway.


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## Domo (Feb 26, 2010)

I have heard the same thing. 

If i wasn't so lazy i would google it


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## David Baxter PhD (Feb 26, 2010)

STP said:


> Isn't "Ring around the Rosey" actually singing about the plague?



The plague. Rosie O'Donnell. Same thing.


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## Domo (Feb 26, 2010)

:rofl:

Thanks, my monitor just got a shower.

Note to self, do not drink while reading anything in the Just For Fun Section.


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## Banned (Feb 26, 2010)

STP said:


> Isn't "Ring around the Rosey" actually singing about the plague?
> 
> Not really a lullaby... but a kids song anyway.



I hadn't heard that, but that's kind of interesting.  

*Ring around the Rosy*
One of the first visible signs of infection were red rings surrounding a rosy bump, all over the victim's body.
*Pocket full of Posy*
A common belief of the time was that the plague was borne on "foul air." The rationale was that people could protect themselves from the bad air by keeping their local air smelling sweet. That, and it also helped them deal with the smell of death...
On the other hand, another sign of infection was the foul stench that would begin to emanate from the victim's body as their lymph system began filling with blood. Those still mobile endeavored to mask their stench and avoid detection by carrying flowers on their person. 
*Ashes, Ashes,*
In the terminal phases of the disease, victims would be hemorrhaging internally, sometimes triggering sneezing as it irritated the breathing passages. "Ashes" is a child's approximation of a paroxysm of sneezing. In this weakened state, a victim could, and often did, sneeze their lungs out. Messy...
*We all Fall Down*
By now, this one should need little explanation...​ 
and...

*"Rock a bye baby - in the tree top..." *
A soothing childhood lullaby, right? You probably had it sung to you when you were an infant.
(But what's a cradle doing in a tree top? Is that safe?)
*"When the wind blows - the cradle will rock..."*
Heck, you probably sang it to your siblings, dolls, or your own children.
(A rocking cradle, nice soothing image.)
*"When the bough breaks - the cradle will fall..."*
But did you ever listen to the words?
(When the bough breaks!? Hey, wait a minute! This is getting serious!)
*"And down will come baby - cradle and all!"*
What exactly is it we are supposed to be teaching our children with this little gem?

 of a song? Doesn't it seem a bit strange to plant such images subconsciously?
(And they wonder why kids have nightmares...)​(both from scaryplace.com)


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## David Baxter PhD (Feb 26, 2010)

Turtle said:


> *Ring around the Rosy*
> One of the first visible signs of infection were red rings surrounding a rosy bump, all over the victim's body.



Yep. Rosie O'Donnell. Check.



Turtle said:


> *Pocket full of Posy*
> A common belief of the time was that the plague was borne on "foul air."
> 
> On the other hand, another sign of infection was the foul stench that would begin to emanate from the victim's body



Rosie O'Donnell. Check.



Turtle said:


> *Ashes, Ashes,*



It was "Hush-a Hush-a" when I was a kid.



Turtle said:


> *We all Fall Down*
> By now, this one should need little explanation...



Rosie O'Donnell. Check.


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## Banned (Feb 26, 2010)

David Baxter said:


> It was "Hush-a Hush-a" when I was a kid.




Me too.  I'd never heard of it as "Ashes".  I guess they were trying to soften it for us and make us feel good about singing about the plague.


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## David Baxter PhD (Feb 26, 2010)

Word on the street says that when Rosie was a young girl she used to sing "Ring around the Donald"...


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