by Patty Hone

Moms and dads, are there times you think that parenting would be easier if you didn’t have to make family decisions? Having a partner that is not in agreement with your parenting ideas or discipline approaches is more than just frustrating. It can be a cause of division in even the best of relationships. Furthermore, how you handle your disagreements will have a direct impact on your relationship with your partner and with your children.

It would be great if every couple agreed on everything but that is an unlikely event. One partner may have been raised in a relaxed environment; another may have been raised in a very strict home. What is acceptable by one partner may be appalling to another. It is important to discuss with your partner what your parenting objectives are. Decide what values are important to both of you. You will find that some things are more important to you than to your partner and vice versa. Here are some steps you can do to work towards resolving parenting disagreements.

1. Discuss your parenting objectives. What is important to both of you? Sit down with your partner and decide what values are most important. Also what areas are not as important?

    

2. Talk about where your children are developmentally and what they are capable of understanding. Sometimes the reasons for parenting disputes are because one partner thinks that a child is capable of understanding something and the other disagrees. Knowing what your child’s cognitive level is will help you to make better decisions. Do not compare your child to other children. You can use examples based on what they are capable of doing and not doing. For instance, if you ask them to get something out of their toy box, do they understand and go get it? If not expecting your child to be able to understand certain things may be unreasonable.

    

3. Find out what both of your parenting strengths and weaknesses are. Many times both parents want the same things for their kids. Compliment your partner on his/her strengths. Don’t just point out your partner’s flaws.

    

4. The majority of parenting disagreements are over discipline methods and when it is appropriate to discipline. One parent may think that spanking is the best method and the other may prefer time outs or something else. One of the most effective ways to resolve this issue is to talk about it. Find out the reasons why your partner feels the way he/she does. There are pros and cons to every form of parenting. Talk about why your partner thinks his/her discipline style is the better method. Sometimes talking about it will help you to see each other’s point of view.

    

5. If the discussion gets heated, agree to disagree. Fighting about how to parent is only going to make the situation worse. Walk away, take a break and discuss it when you are not angry.

    

6. Plan ahead. Discuss problem situations you are having with your children. For instance, if you are having a problem with your child having temper tantrums, discuss how you think this should be handled. If you have a plan in action, it will be easier for both of you to follow each other’s wishes.

    

7. Pick your battles. Some things you may never agree on. You don’t have to agree on everything. Find the issues that are most important to you and work on resolving those first.

    

8. Do not argue about parenting in front of your children. This is easier said than done. The best way to handle a situation you don’t agree with is not to interrupt but to wait till later and then discuss how you think it could have been handled differently.

    

9. Work on role modeling communication. If your children see that you communicate and problem solve together, they will grow up to do the same. Children often repeat patterns of their own parents. Look at your relationship and evaluate how you communicate. Is this the way you would like your children to communicate with their future partner?

    

10. Parenting and relationships are a growing process. The more you communicate the better parent/partner you will be. Learn from each other and listen to each other. Build on your parenting strengths and tackle your parenting weaknesses a little at a time. It won’t happen over night but if you continue to discuss things with your partner calmly and positively you will become better parenting partners.

About The Author
Patty Hone is a wife and mommy to three kids. She is also the owner of Justmommies.com. Justmommies is an online community for mommies to make friends and find support. Please visit Justmommies at http://www.justmommies.com. email@justmommies.com

by Deborah Felker

My personal search for the perfect Irish baby name began many years ago, when my husband and I found out we were going to be blessed with another daughter. We knew we wanted an Irish name for our baby girl so we would always remember the spiritual connection that we shared.

After all, it was from this bond that she was conceived. In those early days and nights of endless romance and passion, practically all we ever listened to was Enya and Riverdance!

My husband and I knew we were soul mates who shared a strong “Celtic heartbeat”. Like so many other happy couples expecting a baby, we knew we had been blessed to find each other in a sea of lost souls.

It wasn’t long before we had formed a bond that we knew was eternal. And now that bond would become even more unbreakable…with the impending birth of our baby girl, Shannon.

“Shannon” is an example of a popular Irish name which is derived from a place, rather than a legendary character or historical person. The names “Tara” and “Kerry” are other examples. “Shannon” is the name of the longest river in Ireland.

The Irish have always held “the Shannon” in a special place of honor both as a source of life and a symbol of ancient wisdom. In fact, the accepted meaning of the name Shannon today is “wise one”.

So this Irish baby name seems to be fitting after all, since our daughter became part of the lifeblood of our home, just as the river is the lifeblood of the Irish countryside.

Our children fill our lives with warmth, laughter, and love; and they provide us with never ending opportunities to gain and pass on wisdom.

If you are filled with the Irish spirit like me, whether you have Celtic ancestors or not, there is no better way to pass on that legacy than to give your wee ones a Celtic or Irish baby name. But all too often, when you go looking for that special Irish baby name, you only find yourself frustrated by the lack of practical information.

On Fantasy-Ireland, you’ll not only find both popular and unique Irish baby names, you’ll also discover what they mean, how to spell them, how to say them, and more.

Irish Baby Naming Customs
There are many old Irish customs you can incorporate that will honor your Celtic spirit and pass on your Irish heritage to your children. If you have spent any time looking into Irish genealogy, you have probably noticed how often names recur within families. The reason for this is that there was a customary way of choosing baby names in Ireland that left very little room for the creativity we enjoy today.

Irish Customs for naming boys:
The oldest son was named after his father’s father. The second son was named after his mother’s father. The third son would be given his father’s name. The fourth son was named after his father’s oldest brother.

Irish Customs for naming girls:
The oldest daughter was named after her mother’s mother. The second daughter would be named after her father’s mother. The third daughter was given her mother’s name. The fourth daughter was named after her mother’s oldest sister.

Choosing a Creative Irish Baby Name
If you would like to carry on some Irish family names, but prefer to be more creative, perhaps you could trace your own family tree for Irish names that you find most appealing. Or you could name your child after a famous historical figure. Another option would be to choose the name of a legendary character in Celtic mythology.

The Evolution of Irish Baby Names
Prior to the medieval times, there were over 10,000 different names being used in Celtic territories. Many of these names were derived from combining one or two word elements which each had distinct meanings. Names would often be created using the words for lucky colors, plants, and animals.

Or names would be created using words for moral or physical qualities such as strength and beauty. For example, the name Muiriol is derived from the word “muir”, meaning “sea”, and the word “gel”, meaning “bright and shining”.

Just as our modern English language is drastically different than Shakespeare’s English, modern Irish is very different from ancient Gaelic. Irish baby names usually have many different forms, as well as an English version or two, which is often easier to pronounce and to spell.

Alternate spellings often emerged as a result of strict and oppressive English laws, which forbid the use of the Irish native language. Throughout those dark years in Ireland, it was illegal to speak Irish, so people were forced to use English versions of their names, even if the name lost it’s true meaning as a result.

Continue your cherished Celtic legacy by choosing the perfect Irish baby name for your child. Discover the meanings and stories behind the most popular and unique baby names of Ireland.

About the Author:
Deborah Felker is the creator and editor of Fantasy-Ireland.com, featuring the Top 30 Most Popular Irish Boy Names, the Top 30 Most Unique Irish Baby Boy Names, the Top 35 Most Popular Irish Girl Names, and the Top 35 Most Unique Irish Girl Names. Whether you want to use a popular name for your baby, or avoid one, Fantasy-Ireland.com is your best resource!

by Bob and Sue Hunter

As one of nation’s leading birth announcement companies, we’ve helped more than 1 million moms and dads share the great news! Of the many thousands of delightful conversations all of us at Stork Avenue have had with new moms and dads, how they chose a name for their baby is one of the most popular. From those conversations, we’ve come up with a few ideas…

Choosing your baby’s name can be a very emotional experience. Sometimes it’s easy. Usually, it’s not. There’s so much to consider, but the most important thing to remember is to love the name. Here are five tips to help you make the right decision:

1. Don’t rush!
It’s a good idea to have one or more names in mind, but try not to decide until you hold your baby in your arms. When you look into those beautiful eyes, you’ll know for sure.

2. Talk about it
Other than, “Is it a boy or a girl,” the question you’ll be asked most is: “What will you name your baby?” You’ve probably already heard that one a hundred times. Of course, the big day won’t wait, so you’ll need to make the decision. Talking with your spouse, family and friends makes it a team effort and it’s fun, too. You might even have a baby naming party. Check out your family tree. Call relatives, especially those you haven’t talked with in a while. Of course, don’t expect a unanimous decision, but everyone will feel like they helped play a role in an important family decision.

3. Say it out loud
How does it sound? Whisper is softly and then loudly. How about when it’s said with a middle name or your last name? Does it rhyme? If it does, does it sound good? Think about associated nicknames and say them out loud too. Does the name pass the “playground test?” Kids can be pretty tough. Would you say it loudly at a mall? If not, don’t give it to your child. Do you have another child with the same sounding name or even the same first letter? Sometimes, that can be confusing when said aloud.

4. Spell it out
It’s amazing how creative parents can be. Unfortunately, that’s not always best for their child. Creative spellings or pronunciations of popular names will have your child constantly correcting those who mistake it with its more popular version. You can’t forget the initials, either. What do they spell or represent? And, if you plan to call your child by a pet name, it’s probably best to register the full version at birth, so your child has the option to later use a more formal version.

5. Make it meaningful
Your baby’s name should evoke happiness and pleasant feelings. It should reflect qualities and traits that you hope your child will possess. Family names are great and give your baby a rich heritage, but if you don’t like the name, it probably won’t feel right, even if it pleases relatives. A unique name may make your child stand out and feel extra special. But, if it’s too unusual, it could cause problems. It’s also very important that your child has a name with clear gender identification. And finally, it’s always tempting to pick today’s most popular name, but will it be popular 10 or 20 years from now? And, do you really want your first-grader with the same name as four others in the same class?

We know this is not an easy decision, so we’ve developed a few “babynamer” tools to help. You can review lists of popular and unique names, search our databases for the origins and meanings of names and search by the name’s first letter. These databases are updated every day and we are always looking for more handy tools to help you make the best decision. CLICK HERE to go to our BabyNamer web pages.

Good Luck and Congratulations!

About the Author:
Bob and Sue Hunter are the founders of Stork Avenue.