Who Are They and Does Your Newborn Need One?

Forget what you've seen in old Disney or Hollywood films.

Godmothers don't grant our every fairy tale wish, and godfathers don't knock people off on our behalf in the shady underworld of organized crime. In reality, godparents are faith-filled mentors to budding, young souls – parental supports with lifelong influence and role-model prestige. A modern-day godparent is a model, a mentor, a friend for the journey. Someone to keep an eye out on the road of life.

A Godparent is not a legal guardian or a 'sugar daddy' who remembers birthdays generously, or someone you can more easily call on to baby-sit. These are important roles and the second of them will no doubt bring much pleasure to your child as the years roll by. The greatest gift that a Godparent can offer is to love and pray for your child. As children grow up they are immersed in a world of different influences, some good, some bad and some utterly sinister. Some people worry so much about the future of the planet that they put off having children forever. Fortunately for the survival of the species many overcome this fear and find joy in having a family. But as any parent will tell you the older the children get the more you worry about their future.

The essence to a deep relationship is knowing your child inside out. Show the child how to embrace life and to manage disappointments and anger. Be honest with the child in the long run being honest goes a long way. In case you are facing problems on a personal level be it your job or relationships never hide facts from a child and pretend that everything is fine. Allow the child to hold your hand and face problems big and small together.
Teach the child to be curious and to satisfy the healthy curiosity by reading. Foster a love for learning, music, plants, and life. Encourage the child to explore and not to be afraid to ask questions or to disagree with you. Parenting is a crucial responsibility that cannot be handed down to others.
The key to good parenting is never be afraid to love your child, show them the difference between right and wrong, and instill in them a sense of self and trust in you. Emphasize that you will always be there for him or her. Let them place their trust in you.

A few essentials of parenting are:

1. Understand the child’s emotional needs. Find out what the child’s likes and dislikes are.

2. Accept the child for who he or she is. Never try to mold a child to what your vision of a child is. Love the child dearly.

3. Motivate the child to do their best but do not set unrealistic goals. Every child has a comfort level and it is hard for every child to be an achiever.

4. Studies show that each child has a talent in some field or the other. It is impractical for parents to want their child to be a soft ware professional, a doctor, or engineer if the child has a talent for growing plants or nursing. Allow the child to realize his or her own dreams. Don’t foist your unfulfilled ambitions on the child.

5. Ensure that you don’t fight or shout in front of the children. It only upsets them and often creates deep rooted emotional trauma in them. All differences must be settled behind closed doors or in the privacy of your room. Ugly fights upset kids.

6. Help the child find its path. Expose them to different options and nurture their interests.

7. The slim difference between a happy cooperative child and a sulk difficult one is love and understanding. Throughout the child’s growing years you must emphasize that you love the child dearly and will always be there for him or her.

8. Listen to your child, often fears or doubts emerge when you are having a conversation. Make time to chat with the child about your day, the child’s day, and things happening around the world and so on. Keeping communications open will introduce as sense of security and openness into your relationship.

Every parent aims to bring up a child that is loving, giving, confident, happy, and a part of a closely knit family. Parenting is a natural process and more often than not it is not books, counselors, or doctors that will guide you but it is your in born instinct and bonds with the child.
When a child is born it trusts its mother without questions and looks towards her for sustenance and protection. A mother in turn instinctively holds the child close to her bosom and knows without words when the child is well and when it is ill. This connection must be maintained as the child grows. Never allow a distance to creep in. If you want to be close to the child and always be there for him or her it is crucial to maintain a close and trusting relationship.