Episode 122: Interview with Amanda Siebert about Mama Sing My Song

In this episode we talk with Amanda Siebert about her new book Mama Sing My Song and here ministry that creates songs specific for each child.

Our Guest: Amanda Siebert

Amanda Seibert is the founder and “original mama” of Mama Sing My Song, a company that has created personalized songs and lullabies for thousands of kids all over the world. She believes that every child is uniquely created and loved by God, that words hold great power, and that song is one of the most beautiful, memorable ways to touch a life.
She attended Moody Bible Institute, spent three years serving at a children’s home in India, and now lives in Indianapolis with her husband and three children, where they try to fill their home with songs, dance, and laughter each day.

To learn more about Mama Sing My Song or get started on your child’s personalized song, visit
www.mamasingmysong.com.
Mama, Sing My Song: A Sweet Melody of God’s Love for Me
ISBN: 9781400235544; Pub Date: September 20, 2022
Online presence:
• Website: https://mamasingmysong.com/
• Instagram: @mamasingmysong
• Facebook: @mamasingmysong

Books Discussed in This Episode:

Transcript with Links:

Terrie:

Welcome to “Books That Spark,” a podcast for parents and caregivers, celebrating books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and discussion leading to teachable moments with our kids. Today we have a very special guest, Amanda Seibert is with us, and she has a wonderful ministry called Mama Sing My Song. And it is very unique and I’m so glad she’s here to share with us today. Thank you, Amanda, for being here today.

Amanda:

Thank you so much for having me.

Terrie:

Well, I am so excited about the ministry that you do. I just found out about it from when I attended MOPS or the MOMcon and saw your ad and checked it out. And you have a brand new book out, right? 

Amanda:

Yes, it just came out last week.

Terrie:

Tell us about your book, first of all.

Amanda:

First of all, I want to say I love that you call what I do a ministry because that’s exactly the way that I see it too. And so it is a company that we have, but I very much first feel called to what we do, and I do see it as a ministry, so I love that you mentioned that. But the book is called Mama Sing My Song: A Sweet Melody of God’s Love for Me. And in so many ways, it’s just an extension of what we have been doing as a company. Our company’s name is Mama Sing My Song as well, and what I’ve been doing as a mom for years since I’ve had my own children, and that’s singing love and identity and affirmation and truth over my children, putting it in the form of a song that will stick with them as they grow. Hopefully the words can sink into their hearts and stay in their minds. And so I do that as a mom. We now do that as a company, providing parents with a tool to sing love over their children. And then now I’ve written a book that is instead of written for one child, how we do as a company, this is a song written for every child about who God has made them to be and how much they are loved.

Terrie:

And I downloaded the song, When you buy the book, you get a QR code that will lead you to be able to download this song that’s for every child. And it’s beautiful. I love that song. I wish I’d had that when my children were little. I sang songs over them, but not nearly as beautiful.

Amanda:

Ohh, well, I think any song that comes from a mother’s heart is the sweetest sound to that child. It doesn’t matter how it sounds.

Terrie:

We had fun with that and we even wrote some songs together with my kids when they were little too. But these songs that you write are beautiful, but the one you get with the book, I just love. And then as she was saying, the company will write a song specifically for your child if you sign up for that. And so tell us about that. That was just so unique and such a wonderful gift.

Amanda:

Yes. Well, it really started out of my own journey as a mom. When I first became a mom, my little daughter was fussy in the backseat. She hated the car seat. Anytime we would get in the car, it was just a disaster. And so, so I started singing and I made up a little song with her name in it, and it seemed to soothe her. And so I kept on singing that song until it became her song and she recognized it. She would say, “Mama, sing my song. Mama, sing my song.” Then that eventually led to creating songs for nieces and nephews and friends. And then now we’ve been officially creating songs as a business called Mama Sing My Song, and we’ve written thousands of songs for children all over the world as a tool for parents to remind their kids how loved they are.

Terrie:

I love it. The parents fill out a questionnaire, right. That helps you to kind of have some information about the child. 

Amanda:

So yeah, they can come to our website, MamaSingMySong.com, and parents tell us all about their children, their favorite things and their personality and kind of special little quirks or things that make them unique. And then also, one of my favorite questions is for a parent to write, what are your hopes, prayers or dreams for your child? And so then we can kind of take all of those things and incorporate it into a special song written just for that child.

Terrie:

That’s wonderful. Now, are all the songs written with a Christian message in them, or would non-Christians also be interested in this? Or is it specifically for Christians?

Amanda:

No, I am a Christian and I love being able to sing songs of truth and love over my own children, but these songs are for every child. And so we take the information that a parent provides, and if that includes a Bible verse that they want to sing over their child, then we’ll include that in this song. If they would rather have no religious references, then we don’t put any religious references in the song. The songs are to be a reflection of the parent’s heart for the child. And so we are able to write songs for all backgrounds and to be a song of love for the child.

Terrie:

Oh, that’s really special. Of course, we’re a Christian podcast, and I think that’s important, but I mean, that opens up a door for you to minister to people of all different faiths or backgrounds, and then they’re seeing a website and a book that is from a Christian person. I just think anytime we can open up relationships, and open up doors, there’s sometimes opportunities for the Gospel to be shared. So I do love that, so that’s cool.

Amanda:

And I love the underlying message that every child is loved, and whether we say it like directly in that song or not, that they were uniquely and wonderfully created by God. That is what I believe. And so that’s why these songs are so special, is because God made each of our children unique. And so we’re able to call out those special qualities in them. And whether we say it in those words or not, I think that children can grow with the truth about who they are and the identity of just growing to know their identity.

Terrie:

Yeah, that’s wonderful. So how many people- I’m just curious, how many people are on your team who help with the writing?

Amanda:

Yes. Let’s see. At the moment, we have about 17 on our team. I think there are about 12 songwriters, and then there are a few musicians. So when a family comes and wants a song for their child, first we write the song acapella. And we take all that information, create a song, and we sing it acapella without music. And then if the family wants, they can upgrade and have that recorded in a studio by professional musicians with music and instruments and all of that. So we have our studio team as well. And then we have a graphic designer and someone who helps with some admin. So we do have about 17 on our team.

Terrie:

That’s awesome. So how long have you been doing this?

Amanda:

A little over four years, or maybe four and a half years now.

Terrie:

Oh, that’s so cool. Okay. Well, I just think it’s such a fabulous thing and so unique. I’ve just never seen anything like this. And I do agree with you that, you know, when we sing over our children, we’re instilling our beliefs and our feelings for them in such a unique way. And I feel like the more we sing the Bible to our children, the more they memorize it because it sticks with them. And so I just love that, I think it’s unique and wonderful. But we do talk a lot about books on this podcast, we’re all about books, so tell us, what are some of yours and your children’s favorite picture books that you read to them? Could you share that with us?

Amanda:

Oh goodness, yes. That is a hard question because we read a lot of books in our house. I love kind of the classic books, like ones that I grew up with, Caps for Sale, or my kids really like Berenstain Bears, or Curious George, or some of those more classic ones. I like beautiful books with beautiful artwork, sometimes seasonal books, like, I’m trying to think. I really love Read Aloud Revival’s book lists that have different, sometimes seasonal fall books or whatever, but we read a ton of books in our house and it would be hard to pick a favorite.

Terrie:

That’s good though. I love Read Aloud Revival, I follow her blog as well. I think she’s got so many great resources for homeschoolers and everything. She has a real passion for books and reading and yeah. So I’m glad you mentioned her.

Amanda:

Yeah, it’s helpful to have those book lists to go off of when going to a library and there’s so many books out there, and so being able to pick good ones, and I appreciate those, the work that goes into creating those lists.

Terrie:

Yes, I agree. Okay. And do you have any plans to write more books in the future? You have your first book that just came out.

Amanda:

Yeah. I would love to. Being a children’s book author has been a dream that God put in my heart since I was maybe seven years old, like as soon as I could hold- As soon as I could hold a pencil or a crayon, I used to go make my own little books and I would staple them together, and I just always dreamed of being an author. And so the fact that it has happened is like just absolutely amazing to me. And I would love to be able to write more books. I love the joy that books bring to our home, and I would love to be able to bring that same joy to other families as they snuggle up on the couch together and read, just, good books.

Terrie:

Yes. And books that are wholesome, and… I hate to say safe, but that’s how I feel these days.

Amanda:

Yeah, no, I completely understand. Yes.

Terrie:

Yeah. On our mailing list, when people sign up, I give them a book of over a hundred books, including board books and picture books that I’ve vetted. They either are from a Christian worldview, or at least don’t contradict a Christian worldview. And you know, parents are so busy and having the time to read through the book before you read it to the child is just daunting at times, and as they get older and you get into chapter books, it’s even more daunting. So we’ve started a book club in our newsletter that covers books for all different ages. And so that’s part of my heart and my ministry too, with this podcast and with my writing. I’m not afraid for parents to talk about difficult things with their kids, but at the right age and with some warning to know what questions need to be fielded, you know, and stuff like that. So

Amanda:

Absolutely.

Terrie:

We talked briefly about your book, but we didn’t really talk. Tell me just a little bit more about like when the parents get the book, what the story is about in the book, because it’s beautiful. It really is beautiful.

Amanda:

Aw, thank you so much. I love Sally Garland, did the illustrations, and she just did a beautiful job. It’s so whimsical and cute in the illustrations. I just love them. But yeah, so the book is called Mama Sing My Song: A Sweet Melody of God’s Love for Me, and it’s featuring little animal mamas and babies, and that actually is a reflection of our company. When a family creates a song for their child, they have the option of putting that song inside a stuffed animal so that the child can play and listen to that song as they’re going to sleep or whatever. And so Sally Garland used those stuffed animals and brought them to life in the illustrations, which is just really sweet. But the book starts with the mama and baby bunny, and the bunny is just asking It’s Mama, or the Mama says, You know, “Did you know there’s a song for each child on earth about how much you’re loved and how much you’re worth?” And the little baby says, “Oh, mama, will you sing my song?” And so then the rest of the book is written as a song as if the mama is singing to the child, and that’s the song that you mentioned that is available through a QR code for download. And it’s just a song that would be true about all of our children, that God made them uniquely, and they’re perfectly designed by him. They are a reflection of his goodness, and just the wonderful qualities that we see in them because God made them that way. And then also just how much they are loved by their parents, and how a parent’s love is just a tiny reflection of God’s much bigger love for them. And so that song kind of is just a reflection of all those things, and through cuddly, sweet, stuffed animals.

Terrie:

I just love it. I love it so much. And I especially love that, that it does talk about how special they are, that they’re wonderfully made, but that our love for them is not as big as God’s love for them, and that message, we just need to shout that from the mountaintops, I mean.

Amanda:

Yes, yes, absolutely.

Terrie:

Okay. Is there anything else we haven’t covered that you would like to talk about?

Amanda:

The only other thing that I’m not sure if you know about, but one thing I feel really passionate about, and I’m so thankful for the way God has given me the opportunity, both in the business and then also with the book, is like a passion for the foster care system and children in foster care. So my husband and I were foster parents, and we are not now, but I will always remember the village that came around us to support us in that season of life. The people who made meals for us, and that they just showed up to support our family. And now, even though we’re not foster parents, I am so grateful that we have this company that God has just dropped in our laps, that we can use that to turn around and support the foster community. And so this year, one of our goals is to give 1000 songs and stuffed animals to children in foster care, and we’ve been working on that this year, yeah, creating personalized songs for them. Because I think the message, you know, that we’re trying to convey with all the songs we write and also with the book is that you are loved and cherished and treasured, most of all by God, but also here on Earth. And so being able to put that message in the hands and hearts of a child in foster care who might need an extra reminder of just how loved and cherished they are. And so it has just been such an honor to be able to support the foster community in that way, and I guess just to encourage any listeners who might be foster parents or you know, someone who is a foster parent, first of all, my encouragement would be like, be a part of their village and come around side them and support them because it will mean more than you could ever know. And then also for a family who might be in foster care, we would love to create songs for your children in care, and a song, and a stuffed animal that they could take with them wherever they go. And so if you’d like to be a part of our foster program, you can visit our website, MamaSingMySong.com, and there’s a tab that is specifically about our foster care program.

Terrie:

Oh, that’s so wonderful. I’m so glad you shared that. And I will have a link to that in my show notes so that people can just go directly to it. That’s wonderful.

Amanda:

Perfect. Okay.

Terrie:

Yeah. Well thank you so much for sharing with us today. And I’m just so excited for this ministry God has given you. How wonderful.

Amanda:

Thank you.

Terrie:

I just wish you all the best. Pray that God just continues to lead you and open doors for you in this ministry. I think it’s wonderful.

Amanda:

Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.

Terrie:

Thank you for joining us for “Books That Spark,” a podcast celebrating books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and discussions as we disciple our children and help them follow Christ with their whole hearts. So if you would like to connect with Amanda, you can reach her at MamaSingMySong.com, and as we mentioned in the interview, there is a tab on her website that it says “Foster”, and if you’re a foster family, you can go there and her company will write a song specifically for your foster child, and it comes with a stuffed animal. The songs are just so sweet. Really check them out, check out their website and what they offer and support them if you can. I think it’s wonderful the ministry they’re doing, and then if you would like to connect with me, of course you can reach me at terriehellardbrown.com. I would love to hear from you, and also, we would love for you to join our mailing list. When you do, you get a list of over 100 books to put in your child’s library. All of the books have been read and vetted, and we have put the topics that are covered in each book, and we include board books and picture books on that list. And then in addition to that, when you’re on my mailing list, you get a monthly newsletter, and in that newsletter we have a book club. And in the book club we vet books, we read books and recommend books for all ages from board book up through young adults and even books for parents. So we would love for you to be a part of that. And you can sign up on my main page at terriehellardbrown.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please like or share and let people know we’re here. We really appreciate it, and we really appreciate you being here today.

Your Host: Terrie Hellard-Brown

Terrie Hellard-Brown writes and speaks to help children and adults find God’s purpose and plan for their lives. She teaches workshops and writes devotional books, children’s stories, and Christian education materials.

Her podcast, Books that Spark, reviews children’s books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and discussion leading to teachable moments with our kids. Her podcast posts each Tuesday morning.

Her blog posts discuss living as a disciple of Christ while parenting our children. She challenges us to step out of our comfort zones to walk by faith in obedience to Christ and to use the nooks and crannies of our lives to disciple our children.

Terrie uses her experiences as a mother of four (three on “the spectrum”), 37 years in ministry (15 in Taiwan), and 32 years teaching to speak to the hearts of readers.

Her motto is “Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be WONDERFUL” and keeps her childlike joy by writing children’s stories, delighting over pink dolphins, and frequently laughing till it hurts.