Mom & Pop: A reader shares her TV-themed lullaby

Note: This essay is part of "Mom & Pop," a monthlong series where readers celebrate motherhood and pop culture. It was penned by Caroline Tatara, a reader in Chelmsford, Mass. If you have a story you'd like to share, here's how to submit it.

Not long after my son was born, I quickly found myself in need of a way to keep my squirmy, energetic infant to lie still while I tried to change his diaper.

Boy, did he not want to cooperate. He sure is loud, I thought. How can I calm him down while I have my hands full? The answer came to me: I'll sing a song.

My mind immediately went blank. Did I even know any songs? Of course I did — but why couldn't I think of anything at all? I needed something soothing, something longer than Happy Birthday ... which was about all I could come up with.

Then it hit me. It just started flowing:

"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip ..."

No sooner had I sung the first line than my son stopped squirming and fell silent. He was listening — no, he was riveted — to me. Of course I knew all the words, since I watched Gilligan's Island for years as a kid.

My little buddy loved it. I loved it. I could get that new diaper on in record time. And even if I couldn't, hey, I'd sing a second round.

Since then, the show has come out on DVD and gets frequent airplay on TV Land. I still watch it on a regular basis with my son, who is now 20.

He does a pretty mean Thurston Howell impression, too.

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Previously:

- Mister Rogers connects with a reader's mother

- A reader's tale of love, loss and Davy Jones

- A reader's sweet story about his first Kiss concert (and his mom)