Sing-Back

Sing-Back learned to love singing-back from her grandmother, on cozy evenings by the acorn-fire.

Her grandmother would sing a little phrase, soft and warm, and wait — hand cupped behind her ear — for tiny Sing-Back to answer. And little Sing-Back's answer was never quite the same notes; her small voice wobbled and squeaked. But her grandmother's face would light up every time, as if the wobbly answer were the most beautiful sound in the world.

"She never once said I was off-key," Sing-Back remembers. "She just looked so glad that I sang back at all." And that gladness made Sing-Back feel warm and brave and loved — never ashamed of her little voice. "That's the whole gift of singing-back," she says. "It's not about the right notes. It's about the together." She's passed that warm, no-wrong-notes gladness along ever since.

Today, Squeak brings the kid to the singing-circle to visit Sing-Back. Squeak is right there — the band-leader — and a grown-up too.

"Watch Sing-Back call," Squeak says. "Then YOU respond. I sing, you sing. Sing it back, hum it, tap it, use any sound. Any response is a good response."

Sing-Back sings her little call and cups her ear, and the kid answers — however they like. A grown-up can sing back too; their voices can be different and both wonderful. And here's what matters most: Sing-Back never says "that was off-key" or "try to match my pitch." Whatever the kid sings back is exactly the right response — the kid's own voice, the kid's own pitch, the kid's own timing, all of it welcome. (Little kids are still growing their pitch-matching, and Sing-Back would never, ever teach a child to feel shy about their voice. Singing at all is success.) And if the kid wants to make up their own little phrase instead? That's wonderful too — now the kid is the caller, and Sing-Back cups her ear and sings their phrase back. They can switch, back and forth, as long as they like.