Lullabies have been a regular part of children’s bedtime routines for thousands and thousands of years. In fact, according to the BBC, the earliest lullaby on record dates back to around 2,000BC and was etched onto a small clay tablet. However, for whatever reason the latest generation we have come to know as millennials aren’t super into the traditional bedtime songs, and like top bed sheets and American cheese, they are at risk of going extinct.

A new poll of more than 2,000 adults conducted the Lullaby Trust found that just 38 percent of parents sing lullabies to their children five-years-old and younger. And, whether or not a parent is engaging in the old traditional ritual has everything to do with their age. The younger a parent is, the less likely they are to sing. Of those 45 years and older, 70 percent are humming their young ones to sleep. Also, gender comes into play, as moms are twice as likely to sing to their children nightly as dads.

While killing the tradition is sad in and of itself, previous studies have found lullabies are actually good for a child’s overall happiness. One, conducted by Great Ormond Street Hospital, found that children under three who were in the hospital awaiting heart transplants, found that the singing lowered their heart rates, reduced anxiety and reduced pain perception.

Another, courtesy of the National Literacy Trust, found that singing songs and rhymes may be as important as reading to them. Not only does it help support language development and reading skills, it also encourages them to listen carefully to try and predict it.

There is also the added bonus that by singing to your child, you are strengthening the bond between parent and child. Even more? You are creating memories that will hopefully inspire them to sing the same songs to their own child one day.

READ NEXT: Struggling To Get Out Of Bed In The Morning Is An Actual Condition