Nursery Rhymes

When I first found this book I thought oh sweet nursery rhymes. It was free so I brought it home. Well today I read them out loud to Josiah. What the heck is wrong with nursery rhymes! Here are a few examples.

Rock-a-bye-Baby, on the tree top

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall

Down will come baby, cradle and all

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard

To get her poor dog a bone

But when she got there

The cupboard was bare

And so the poor dog ha none

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, 

She had so many children, she didn't know what to do

She gave them some broth without any bread

Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed

I can just see a small boy asking "why?" to all those rhymes. Yes baby boy, the baby did fall out of the tree, the poor dog starved, and the old woman was so fed up with her children she whipped them... Positive imagery! I knew nursery rhymes had a history but most of them are pretty grim. If you want to look up the origins check out this website http://www.rhymes.org.uk/ 

I think I'll find a different book to read to my sweet boy.