A lullaby written for Michael

The archangel's name and a half-century standard, gentled here to two soft beats.

Why a name lullaby works

A baby's own name is the first word that ever means anything. Long before language, babies orient to the sound of their name sung in a warm voice, it is attention, safety, and love in one word. A lullaby built around that word turns the strongest word Michael knows into the signal that the day is done.

A bedtime tip for Michael

Sing or play the same song at the same point in the wind-down every night, right after the feed and just before the crib works well for most families. Within a couple of weeks the opening notes alone start to settle him. Consistency, not variety, is what makes a lullaby powerful.