Your child’s godparents play a really important role in their lives.
Your child’s godparents play a really important role in their lives. For this reason, it is a decision that requires a good deal of thought.
Some people like to ask the question when they are pregnant or as soon as their baby is born. It is nice to have the godparents confirmed and “in the bag” even if it’s quite a while before it will become official at the child’s christening.
It can be a really nice way to include these special people in your child’s life from the moment that they enter the world.
Choosing a godparent is really straight forward for some people. There may be a really obvious person (or people) in your life for the role and it may not require much thought at all other than hoping that they will be happy to take on that role.
In fact, you may have always had an idea that these people would fit the bill if you ever decided to have children.
It is not unusual to struggle with the decision making process when it comes to who your child’s godparents should be.
Many people see it as a really big responsibility and they want to make the right choice for their little ones. If you are struggling with the decision, or don’t know where to start, these things might just give you a bit of help during the thought process.
1. It is always a good idea to choose godparents that share similar morals to you. After all, you will want them to be a positive influence in your child’s life. A godparent will spend quite a bit of time with your child and could positively or negatively impact the way they behave or see the world.
2. Choosing someone dependable is really important. A godparent should be someone that you can call upon at times of stress or if you need help with something. It should be someone who will love your child and will be happy to do anything to help. It might never be needed but it’s important to know that if they need to be called upon they’ll happily show up and want to be there.
3. Make sure that you and your partner are both on board with the person. This is a joint-decision and it is really important that both parents are on board with the choice. Communicate with each other and really tease things out in and honest and respectful way as you may not completely agree on who the right people are.
4. It really needs to be someone who will want to fulfil this role. This could be a difficult thing to decipher but in the majority of cases, you might just have a gut feeling on this side of things. Will the person be honoured to be asked the question or is there a chance that they might be a little put-out and surprised by it? It is important to consider this to avoid any awkward conversations.
5. Consider logistic factors. There might be a really caring and willing person you have in mind but if they live on the other side of the world they won’t see a great deal of your kid or be able to attend their birthdays or celebrate their important milestones.
Tracey is a happy mammy to four-year-old Billy. She is a breastfeeder, gentle parent and has recently lost five stone so healthy family eating is her passion! You can find her at www.loveofliving.ie.