One of the few decisions you'll make during pregnancy that will, in fact, last throughout your child's lifetime is the choice of your baby's name. (Unlike, for example, your choice of stroller or whether to use Lamaze or hypnosis to ease labor pains.) To choose the best name for your baby, follow these simple tips:
1. Don't try to please other people.
Everyone from your in-laws to the supermarket checkout lady is going to have an opinion about what you name your child. But the only opinions that really matter are yours and your spouse's.
2. Keep it a secret!
If you tell everyone names you've chosen before the baby is born, they won't hesitate to criticize your choices. But if you keep it to yourself and announce the name and the birth at the same time, everyone will compliment you on a great name choice.
3. Consider how your child will feel about the name as he or she grows up.
Will it be difficult for the teachers to pronounce in school? Will she be teased because it sounds funny or rhymes with an unfortunate word? Does it sound like a very young or very old name? You want to choose something your child will be comfortable with at all phases of his life.
4. Check the initials to make sure they aren't problematic.
One of the moms I surveyed for "The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years" told the story about her relative who named his baby, William Eugene Thompson. A nice name, but the initials (W.E.T) weren't ideal for monograms.
5. Decide in advance, or at least have a couple of names under consideration, by the beginning of the third trimester.
There's so much to do as your due date gets closer. You don't want to be under pressure to choose a name because you went into labor early and had to come up with something at the hospital. Check out BabyNames.com (www.babynames.com) for lots of neat ideas for baby names.
Stephanie Gallagher is Author of "The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years: The Real Mom's Survey of Top-Rated Products and Advice." To subscribe to her ezine, "The Shopping Mom's Weekly Tip, send a blank email to theshoppingmom@aweber.com.
family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..Ritalin has been shown through the years to be very... Read More
As I sit here and reflect on the past two... Read More
Advocate: you've probably heard the term before. But what does... Read More
Q. My teenage son is turning 16 early next year... Read More
To protect children's self-esteem or deflect complaints by parents, many... Read More
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
Learning obedience is an important part of child development. This... Read More
As mothers, we play so many different roles and most... Read More
The cost of being a parent and raising a child... Read More
There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance... Read More
Imagine a child who lacks ownership of his own life,... Read More
Researchers have estimated that 25-35% of children in the United... Read More
What is a parenting problem?Parenting is a tough job, we... Read More
Despite serious reductions in funding for arts programs in... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent more than the... Read More
"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds... Read More
Compulsory attendance laws are school authorities' first assault on parental... Read More
Lets face it becoming a mum is a bit of... Read More
Vacations and trips are great family events, but how do... Read More
If you're looking for toys that are both fun to... Read More
What is hard for parentsLetting them learn from their mistakes.Trying... Read More
This year alone, 1,600 teenagers aged 15 to 19 will... Read More
Child Party Planning Guideline #1)Pick the ThemeYour child is going... Read More
The learning and development of Australian kids is under threat... Read More
residential cleaning services Deerfield ..Do any other reality TV junkies remember a show on... Read More
I used to have a really challenging job. It was... Read More
As the flurry of Back to School activities subside, parents... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
A fun way to build your child's imaginationWriting is still... Read More
I know this Mom. She homeschools her 5 children, plus... Read More
For any parent, learning that a convicted sex offender lives... Read More
From the book Spider's Night on the BoomI've only begun... Read More
Advocate: you've probably heard the term before. But what does... Read More
Compulsory attendance laws are school authorities' first assault on parental... Read More
The Real Dangers to Kids Online and How to Avoid... Read More
Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only... Read More
Many public schools not only fail to educate our children,... Read More
Q. We are getting to the stage with our kids... Read More
Q. My teenage son is turning 16 early next year... Read More
Parents of teenagers frequently ask what can be done to... Read More
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at... Read More
Is it possible to be using our children addictively?Anything that... Read More
There are a LOT of alternative treatments for sale out... Read More
In 1996-97 we were contracted by VAXA International of Tampa,... Read More
Did you know that you are the most important person... Read More
Are you a parent concerned about passing values on to... Read More
If you are like most people today, you do not... Read More
A study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found... Read More
We adopted our first child when he was three months... Read More
Parenting |