When I was little, we had a bunch of cassette tapes with uplifting kids songs. We would listen to them and sing along about cleaning up, telling the truth, saying thank you, the value of work..etc. There was even a song about growing up to be a mother. That one is my favorite now, because remembering it makes me realize it was a little on the brainwashy side! It says “When I grow up, I want to be a mooooTHER, and raise a fam-il-y, 4 little 5 little 6 little babies of my own!”
6 BABIES?!??!? That kids song was trying to brainwash me into birthing 6 babies?! hahahahahaha. It makes me laugh so hard to think about little Reagan singing it with a smile on her face thinking 6 babies would be doable. No offense to any of you with a lot of babies, it just seems like more babies than I can keep my patience on. And that is my number one parenting rule, only as many babies as I can keep my cool with.
Sidetracked.
So, there were these tapes called The Safety Kids, and they had all kinds of songs about being safe. One was a song about remembering your phone number and I’ll never forget my phone number in Arlington, VA the rest of my life because of it. Prove it? 237-7383. The area code wasn’t part of the song, so you got me there.
Sidetracked again!! Blast!
Anyway, The Safety Kids had a tape about saying no to drugs. They had a song called Go For A Natural High. It talked about all the fun things you can do to get you high instead of drugs, like go on a roller coaster, work up a sweat, play ball…Unlike the song telling me to grow up and have 6 kids* this one has an awesome message. I will remember it sometimes and sing it when I’m being active or when I’m experiencing serous happiness.
“if you like dancing go out on the floor, and dance dance dance til you can’t anymore!”
So, here is Reagan going for a natural high on a trampoline in Atlanta. This is how I do a backflip! I mean, for me a backflip is something you do sideways, and you land on your head and have a sore neck the next day. For Jake, a backflip is something you do gracefully even though you are 7 feet tall. Even though we prefer different forms, we both get a natural high.
Here is how Piperjane gets a natural high. Actually, here is how Piperjane gives everyone else a natural high. By getting daddy swings. Look at this picture! Her little smile peeking through Jake’s arms, her little legs so happy they have to tangle themselves up into each other, her little hedgehog critter being tightly grasped in her little Pip-hand. Piper Jane, the natural doobie.
And if anyone is curious, I found a youtube of The Safety Kids! (song starts at 1 minute)
*I have a serious problem with a song telling everyone to have 6 babies. What if that song got into the wrong hands? What if I don’t have a job or what if I my mental stability is questionable or what if I didn’t have health insurance or I lived off of orange soda and cheetos? What would I do with all those babies then?
I always thought the song was giving you options. The first verse says 1 little 2 little 3 little babies. Like you can have one, or even three, doesn’t matter as long as you give them cookies and milk and yellow balloons! And then the second verse says go crazy, have a few more if you want, 4 little, 5 little, 6 little babies to love. I liked the first verse better, more cookies for me!
I was a big fan of the Safety Kids growing up. “I know my number, my telephone number, want me to say it for you..”
I was able to track down the cds and workbooks for Adeline and Penelope a few years ago. They are totally into it.
That little Piper is amazing. It’s fun to see the “big kid” pictures you post of her.
… and you will see each sister and each brother will look a lot like me… 4 little, 5 little, 6 little babies of my own.
I actually performed this with all of my girl cousins in matching dresses, color coordinated to show which family we belonged too. The boys sang, “My Dad’s the Greatest Dad.” Its on there too.
You just catapulted me back to Kindergarten. Funny how these things stick in your brain.
By the way, I stopped at two.
I grew up with these songs too! In fact, I recently downloaded a few songs and my own kids love listening to them. See me ruuuun! Good times. I never took the 6 kids song to heart. So if I’m a sample of the listening population, have no fear. I did however remember the MANY ways to say “no.”
…say a tough no, a cool no, a smooth no, ‘no, gotta go’…
Thanks for the trip back to 1989!
Those tapes ROCKED!!! I just taught my daughter our telephone # with that song! Love seeing Piper’s grin, it is sooooo contagious!
Miss Piper looks like a ballerina in that photo. Honestly, does she not have the most gorgeous legs?! Too sweet for words.
If it was such a brainwashing, how is it I only have three grand babies?! hmmmmmm? (and precious grand babies they are…I’m greedy, I know).
Songs to brain wash you into have babies? LOL!!! All I can say is “Ouch!” and “No, thanks!”
But I really would like to listen to that song for entertainment reasons! Do you know who performed it?
Go for a Natural High – High High High
When you are feeling down LOW………..
Loved it !
Thanks for bring back memories, although it may be stuck in my head all day !
Why have i never heard of these tapes..??”?? maybe it’s an American thing lol…I’m from Australia …I had 5 kids thank goodness I never heard the tapes, otherwise I may have gone for 6.. :-O
Hey! I have six kids! The song must of worked. Cheetos and orange soda…Reagan you crack me up.
All I can say is you’re adorable and hilarious! And that little Piper Jane is just too much! I agree with Shauna…her grin IS contagious!! That last paragraph totally cracked me up!!
Hilarious! We had something like those tapes…maybe they were the same? I remember a song about having a gratitude attitude, and another sung by two guys, Mr. Did and Mr. Didn’t. “I’m Did!” “I’m Didn’t!” “I did obey!” “I didn’t.” “I’m hap hap hap hap happy all the while!” “I’m not.” Lol, probably sounds crazy if you haven’t heard it.
Anyway. I used to sing it in college and then one day my boyfriend at the time pointed out how stupid it was to teach kids incorrect grammer. I’m did? I’m didn’t? Makes no sense. Good point Mitch.
The picture of you on the trampoline cracks me up! I’ve never been able to do a backflip or cartwheel or anything!
Love the happy legs, too cute!
Yeah she’s wearing the dress we found her! Super cute!
P.S. I loved the safety kids songs… so catchy!
Hahaha that song is brainwashing! 6 kids is a lot and honestly gives me a panic attack thinking of it. I used to say I wanted 4 kids…even that makes me want to un-tighten my tie, and I’m not even wearing a tie so maybe I should cool it on the kid thinking for a second.
And can we talk about how freaking awesome Pip’s legs are?! I mean the muscle tone…I am jealous of your childs legs. They are killer!
Love this post even though I’m apparently too old to have heard those songs! Boo! I too am completely fascinated by Piper’s wonderfully toned legs and especially in this picture. I think that girl is working out when you aren’t there.
I grew up on the those tapes too. Actually some of ours were even on vinyl records…wow, I’m old! I remember the mother song too but never felt much of a need to add a lot of kids to my resume. Maybe I didn’t take the lessons as personal as I should have
Brite Music!!! That’s my grandma! She wrote all of the music and my grandpa ran the business. My siblings and I sang on some of the albums.
I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that there are so many good memories with the songs.
Oh, and your Piper Jane is pretty stinkin’ cute.
I dont remember those songs and my daughter is just 2 years older than you, maybe that is why I don’t have any grandchildren, yet. If I had only known about those tapes, I could have brainwashed my kids into having kids. Dang.
HAHA. I thought I wanted 5 kids, that’s pretty close to 6 and I never listened to the songs you are talking about. I don’t even think I could take care of 6 gerbils.
Por QUA?!! You have a reader whose family wrote the songs, ran the business and sang on the Safety tapes?! That’s a brush with greatness! How unbelievable and fun! Almost as much as those ‘happy legs’ of Pippy’s. I’ve found with my kids, too, that when they are just bursting with happiness and delicious excitement they tend to tangle and wrap their legs, arms, hands, together. She sure shows you what’s going on in her sweet little head one way or another, doesn’t she?! Simply super.
those are some seriously skinny legs!:)
Precious baby girl! Looks like a tiny ballerina! She should have some little pink ballerina slippers. Or maybe some animal print ones!
when I was in high school my friend and I were eating cheetos and drinking orange juice…she made me laugh and I snorted orange juice out my nose!! OJ out the sinus cavities is no picnic, let me tell you, but it did cause us to laugh even harder. This doesn’t have much to do with your post, but the cheetos and orange soda made me think of it. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
PS: I love Pip’s muscular legs!
Oh, those were the best. Go for natural high! High, high, high!
I silently sing that in my head every time someone uses the phrase “natural high.” That’s the only part I remember.
Her little legs are so muscle-ly!! Oh she is so cute I could eat her!!! xoxox
Ok, so I missed out on the “Safety Kids” songs myself, but I totally sing along with Kids Place Live on XM now. AnnaLauren may not be safe, know her phone number or be natually high, but she can rock out to “Happy Noodle, Sad Noodle” and “Mama Tooted”! At this moment, I am questioning my parenting skills.
FYI, just seeing Pip makes me happy! That sweet girl is so precious!
I LOVED Safety Kids….”If you tell one lie, it leads to another…if you tell TWO LIES, it leads to another…if you…” well u know how the rest goes.
Who broke my window…? Why is my stomach so nervous and queaSY!! who broke my window..? Telling the truth isn’t going to be eaSY.. WHO BROKE MY WINDOW?!?! Mr. Robinson Mr. Robinson!! Haha for some reason I remember that one best. Thanks for reminding me.. must be a Mormon kid thing??
Whiny child! you know the one with the spoiled princess who got whatever she wanted and they would sing whiny child to her? we used to sing it to my little sister. I loooooved these songs!
Piper looks like a ballerina! Just adorable. I love all your fun stories about New York. I hope to go someday soon.
I am over the moon for Pip’s twinkle toes!
There’s always NJ … spacious enough to have a 4 bedroom house but close enough to the city for people to still come to see you and have you act as their tour guide! Trust me … they do!!
And it’s a commutable distance… also Rockland and Westchester County … and maybe Orange County too … and they’d probably be closer to Pip’s house.
I was a Safety Kids brainwashee myself, but all I can remember is the theme song tune. Not even the words, just the tune and a few “safety kids, the safety kids…” thrown in there. Hearing that clip gave me flashbacks of family road trips in our mini-van.
And Piper…she is too cute for words.
@Andrea: ummmm, you are a celebrity in my eyes. i mean it.
Oh my, I have been a faithful reader of your blog for quite a long time now. In fact I don’t blog as much these days but I have you linked under the “inspirational” sidebar on my blog. You are a beautiful person inside and out. Even though I don’t know you I feel a strong connection to you in so many ways. We have been through many similar things all while being products of being raised mormon yet branching out and living life the way we feel is right for our own little families. Your little Piper brings a smile to my face every time I come across your blob! Anyway I laughed so hard when I read this because it was just the other day a safety kids tune got stuck in my head. I was stuck in traffic, turned the radio down and started belting out “go for a natural high high high high, when you are feeling down low” and I couldn’t believe how many songs I could still remember. I used to sit at my sweet grandmothers house, put in their cassette tapes and sing every word to every song! Reagan you are beautiful inside and out! Thanks for the wonderful flash from the past!!! Hugs
Ohh man! I totally listened to safety kids! I had the phone number song memorized too!! 1-208-743-2187 (mine had the area code. I guess I was more special. HA!)
Thanks for making me remember that awesome song!
Oh man. Safety Kids are the best. 713-980-5036.
Didn’t know there were tapes (otherwise I would have DOMINATED those as a kid) but every year 5th graders from all over the school district here audition to be in Safety Kids. Then they go to all the schools in the district and perform during a special assembly. Let me tell you Reags, it was my DREAM, my HIGHEST ASPIRATION to be a Safety Kid. I counted down the years until 5th grade… then I was too chicken to audition. (For serious, the auditions are BRUTAL. At least, that was the word on the street then and I’ve heard that from the parents of today as well, so I’m gonna bet it’s true.) I CONSTANTLY regret not trying out for Safety Kids. I could totally be famous right now if I had just grown a 5th grade pair. Oh, if only…
Ok, and one more Safety Kids story then I’ll stop. My 9th grade boyfriend (and by “boyfriend,” I mean “boy who held my hand under the lunch table”) effectively wooed me by dropping the Safety Kids card. Yeah, that’s right, I dated him because he had been a Safety Kid FOUR YEARS EARLIER. Did I have some high standards or what?
Also, Piper’s legs are SO CUTE! Pshaw on this silly Angelina’s leg meme going on, it’s all abou the PJ stems!
We had the Safety Kids too. I remember my old phone number that way too! One song that I always remember was about what to do if you get lost: “Look for a a grandma or mother with children” Although it didn’t work when I got lost at the flea market…
Holy flashbacks! I’ve been singing all the songs in my head. I have to share my favorite…”Sometimes you just wanna yell and scream… sometimes its the only thing to do! You just gotta open up, screaming like a fire truck to get the world’s attention turned to you….”