Has parental sanity hit the skids? Nursery rhymes are GOOD for kids.

This Mary is quite contrary after reading that a goodly number of parents in Britain find nursery rhymes too old fashioned to share with their children. What?!

Granted, losing sheep, falling asleep under haystacks, and tumbling down hills after fetching buckets of water aren't experiences our internet, video game-playing kids can readily relate to. Still, must we sacrifice time-honored verbal rhyming skills and pure imagination to the reality hip-hop gods?

Mother Goose rhymes can be read, said, or sung from the time you first hold your dear little one. The rhythms and verbal patterns are soothing, however "disturbing" the subject matter. As children grow, those rhymes serve as little mini-stories, giving a child the opportunity to use imagination to fill in the gaps or change the endings.

Many complain that nursery rhymes and fairy tales are too dark and disturbing. Well, phooey. I wonder how many children actually find it scary that Humpty Dumpty couldn't be put back together or that Jack broke his crown? I remember finding those things hilariously funny as a child. I mean, we're talking about a giant egg here, people. And kids fall down (or slip on banana peels) all the time. Physical humor. I especially loved the blackbirds that snipped off the maid's nose. Ha!

I do hope the statistics don't reflect reality here in the United States. As crazy as they are, these rhymes and fairy tales are part of our heritage, connecting one generation of parents with another. They are woven into a common cultural knowledge that transcends age and generation. Fortunately, folks in the know about language and culture fully support the world of Mother Goose.

As long as I'm around, my grandchildren will have nursery rhymes and fairy tales poured into their little ears. Consider it a gift from one generation to the next, stretching back over time as it moves forward.

Yes, contrary this Mary may be. But I also have a garden full of silver bells and cockle shells. Oh! And pretty maids all in a row!