Yes, let's, and while doing so bring back some of those old-time lullabies seldom heard these days.

Years ago every home contained a small rocking chair (they're classed as antiques today) in which the mother (and sometimes father) rocked baby when he became fretful, singing to him/her until he/she fell asleep and was laid gently in his crib.

My family was a large one and each of us was rocked in turn by my mother (or father) while singing a lullaby until we went to sleep. It gave mother a few minutes respite from her daily tasks so numerous in a household of children.

One of the earliest lullabies that comes to mind is --

As I remember that was all there was to it, and my mother would sing it over and over, more softly as the baby's eyes began to close, continuing on until she laid him in his crib.

But there were others. There was the old familiar one of --

Frightening thought, but it is doubtful if the baby understood the words. It was the feeling of security and the comfort of mother's arms, accompanied by the soothing sound of her voice, along with the motion of rocking that lulled him/her to sleep.

Another favorite of my mother's and often sung to us, was --

Almost everyone knows or has heard of the lovely Brahm's Lullaby, both words and music producing a gentle, soothing sound tending to induce prompt sleep. I quote only the first verse here which goes --

Another old-time lullaby that brings back memories of early childhood is --

The following is one I think my mother sang more often than any --

It seems too bad to let the practice of rocking and singing lullabies join the long list of lovely forgotten things. So why not revive them both and rock and sing our babies to sleep.