Yellow Submarine Moments: Stop Worrying So Much About What Other People Think

I recently introduced my kiddos to the Beatles. I am a little ashamed that it took me this long.

I had their compilation album 1 on in the car the other day, and my daughter asked me what band this was.

[OH. MY. I haven't introduced them to the Beatles? I am neglecting my duty as a parent to make sure my kids know good music, and a little history of rock and roll!]

So we listened...

"Love Me Do" ("Is this a love song? It's weird...")

"She Loves You" ("Another love song?")

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" ("These guys sing a lot of love songs, don't they?")

"Help!" ("I like this one, Dad!")

"Yesterday" ("He sounds kind of sad.")

"Day Tripper" ("That is my favorite guitar part ever!")

And then...

"Yellow Submarine" ("DAD. PLAY THAT ONE AGAIN.")

So we played it again. And again. And again.

After awhile, my son inquired with a smirk, "Is this one of those songs they wrote while they were taking drugs?" [Good question, son...]

It has become our car-ride-to-school anthem. We sing "Yellow Submarine" at the top of our lungs in harmony every morning.

And I find myself hitting repeat after they pile out of the van at school, and singing it on my way to work.

Today, after dropping them off, I was at a stop sign. There happened to be a lot of cars driving past who didn't have to stop, so I had to wait awhile. There was another car facing me, also stopped. I realized after a few moments that the woman behind the wheel was laughing, and a few moments after that I realized that she was laughing at ME...because I was still singing, "And our friends...are all aboard...Many more of them...live just next door..." in full voice, and bobbing my head from side to side in time to the music.

And I didn't care a bit. Let her laugh!

It was a Yellow Submarine Moment for me.

When we finally had space to cross, I smiled and waved to her as I drove past, still singing: "Sky of blue...and sea of green...in our yellow...submarine!"

It was a great start to my day, actually. I had a flash of self-consciousness, but quickly realized that I didn't really care that she was laughing. So I sang on.

Teacher, this is my encouragement to you: take a chance on your Yellow Submarine Moments. Don't worry so much about what other people think. If you are doing the right thing for the kids, keep doing it, even if other people laugh, or shake their heads, or shake their fists.

Sometimes, singing "Yellow Submarine" at the top of your voice is the right thing to do.

If you are always worrying about what other people think, it's hard to have thoughts of your own.