...Why Nightlights Were Invented

I've noticed as my children have developed, they are not initially afraid of the dark. My one-year -old will wander in and out of darkened rooms with no fear whatsoever. I think it's around the age of 3 or so when they begin to have the first stirrings of fear. I have always closely monitored their television viewing and kept them in child friendly environments so I was intrigued by this sudden irrational fear. Or at the time I thought it was irrational.

One night while my boys were preparing for bed I had an epiphany.

I actually heard the words of the prayer that I taught them myself and was horrified. It left me wanting to sleep with the lights on.

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.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

(Incidentally, the new skool version of this timeless prayer has been edited to say "Angels watch me through the night until I wake in morning light", so this is much better.) My children have never been sick a day in their lives. What would cause them to "die before (they) wake"? Is someone going to sneak into their rooms and suffocate them with their pillows? What are the possibilities of them choking to death in their sleep on their own saliva?

This got my mind to really going and I discovered that even the nursery rhymes, fairy tales and fables we ourselves learned as children and are passing down to our children are just full of perils.

1. Hansel and Gretel = Cannibalism
2. Georgie Porgie = Lack of commitment from men
3. Jack and Jill = Dangerous hobbies and serious bodily injury
4. Little Jack Horner = Poor home training and/or poverty (Kid is eating with his hands!)
5. Rapunzel = Kidnap and hostage situation

Even our lullabies are cause for concern. Rock-a-bye Baby (In the Treetop). Who in the hell is putting a baby in the top of a tree waiting on a strong breeze to come and send baby tumbling to certain death? Personally, I never sang this one to my boys but instead sang Aretha Franklin's Say a Little Prayer for You. Don't laugh. Think about the lyrics to that one. What more loving song could sing to your little one?

Instead of grooming our children to be serial killers why not just stick with The Lord's Prayer and some old 100's out of a Baptist Hymnal like In the Garden and It is Well (With my Soul)?

Now that I've really pondered these childhood ditties, I'm off to say my prayers (and plug in a nightlight).