The Great Baby Name DebateWritten by Claire Kolarova
Winifred or Willow? Thomas or Troy? The name you choose for your child will last a lifetime. Whether you’re looking for something original that will stand out from crowd or a traditional name that people will instantly recognize, choosing a name for your new baby is a huge responsibility.It goes without saying that you as parents must like name. Names that hold bad associations for you are out (Jeremy was a bore at school, you can’t stand Bella in Tweenies), and if you consider your own name uninteresting, you may wish to choose something more exotic – or vice versa. Think carefully about combinations of first name and surname. Are they compatible? You may like a mixture of an unusual first name with a more familiar surname (Zara Phillips), but be careful about rhyming two names – Mark Clarke won’t thank you for it. Beware initials that could cause hilarity to your child’s future friends – Ethan Thomas or Peter Oliver Ogilvie won’t be joining in giggles! Trying to be clever can also cause grief – Poppy Fields or Summer Winters may sound cute at time, but can eventually grate on everyone’s nerves! If she’s called Grace, will she turn out to be butter-fingered? Will Maximus grow into a Mr. Puniverse? Is Jordan a boy or a girl? What will Elizabeth grow up as? Lizzie? Beth? Liza? And as for Ashleigh, Ashley, Ashlee, Ashlea and Ashlie – all in circulation at moment – how is anyone supposed to find a name that is both special and appropriate? Fortunately, sources of inspiration can be found everywhere. You can avoid throng of Chloes, Emilys, Jacobs and Jacks topping baby name charts for past few years, and choose from a huge variety of names collected in specialist books and on Internet. Some parents prefer biblical names - Rebecca, Abigail, Joshua, Samuel and Joseph are all very popular at moment. Names inspired by nature include Blossom, Lily or Skye and even Tiger for boys. Place names (Paris, Lamorna), colours (Coral, Ebony), astronomy, music, and sport – all provide a wealth of ideas and choice.
| | How to Listen to Your Teenager Without Appearing to Have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)Written by V. Michael Santoro, M. Ed.
In one of Family Circus cartoon strips, little girl looks up at her father, who is reading newspaper, and says, "Daddy, you have to listen with your eyes as well as your ears." That statement says almost all there is to say about listening. Being a good listener means focusing attention on message and reviewing important information.Listening can be considered an art, as well as a skill, and like other skills, it requires that you exhibit some discipline to be effective. However, in today's world where multitasking is considered essential to surviving in workplace, it is not uncommon to be talking on phone while we are reading mail or sending e-mail, and simultaneously conducting hand signals with a co-worker who needs your input about something important. However, when it comes to communicating with your teenagers, you have to separate yourself from this multitasking communications style, and learn how to focus 100 percent of your time on her when she needs to talk to you. If you do not, she will perceive this distracted behavior as a lack of interest in her. Thus, during your conversations with your teen, you must ignore your own needs, demonstrate patience, and pay attention to her. Hearing becomes listening only when you pay attention to what is being said, and can contribute to conversation. So how good are your listening skills? Answer following "yes or no" statements honestly: 1. I make assumptions about my teens feelings and thoughts 2. I bring up past issues during current disagreements 3. I interrupt my teenager's conversation 4. I respond to a complaint with a complaint 5. I respond to my teen with phrases like, "That's ridiculous." If you answered "yes" to any of these statements, then there is some room for improvement in your listening skills. What to do Use following guidelines to help improve your listening skills: 1. Maintain eye contact with your teen during conversations. Good eye contact allows you to keep focused and involved in conversation.
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