Songs help you and your kids get through a busy day

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I was hooked when my 3-yearold daughter started singing along to, "After you play, put them away. All of the toys that you used today."

It's from a CD called "Songs for Your Busy Day," produced by two stay-at-home moms in New York, and for the kids, it's entertainment. For their parents, it's a handy musical brainwashing tool to teach your kids about doing their chores and taking care of their daily needs.

The songs - eight tunes in a tidy 19 minutes - take you through the day with titles such as "Get Up," "Get Dressed," "Clean Up" and "Brush Your Teeth."

Just learn the words to, say, "Let's Take a Bath" and when bath time comes, simply sing your way into it. The kids will be so busy singing along that they'll never know what hit 'em.

It's probably best suited for toddlers and preschoolers who aren't yet cynical enough to realize they are being manipulated by the instructive lyrics. (My 5-year-old is already a bit suspicious of my motivations for playing this music - I can sing to him until I'm blue in the face about eating beef stew, but it will not pass his lips.)

Music by Mommies is run by musician Michele Purcell and lyricist Barbara Fine Buxbaum.

Purcell said she has two boys with autism who provided the inspiration for this project. The music, she says, helps them through their day by giving them a little motivation.

"Songs for Your Busy Day" is sold online at Music by Mommies, CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon.com.

You can get the whole CD for $11.99 to $12.99 or download individual songs for 99 cents each.

Now, "March two, three and four. Everybody out the door."

CONTACT US: To comment on "Gotta Have It," contact Barbara Cotter: barb.cotter@gazette.com; 636-0194.