To all you dads out there...

dEcEpTiCoN MEGAtron · Post by **dEcEpTiCoN MEGAtron** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:21 am

Wifey and I are expecting our first, a baby girl due May 31. Just found out the gender a few weeks ago. A thousand thoughts and emotions are going through my head a minute. I seriously want to be the best dad I can be. Need some help here dads. If you could give one piece of advice about parenting a girl, what would it be? Wifey and I are also having trouble agreeing on a name. Any suggestions for a name? TIA!

Civ · Post by **Civ** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:46 pm

Not a daddy myself but please, don't let her become a spoiled "Daddy's Girl". Be firm with her when she's outta line.

Names?

Shauna
Paulette/Paula
Heather
Jennifer
Rebecca
Latoya
Yvonne
Megan
Christine/Christina
Stephanie
Nicole
Hannah
Janet
Kimberly
Mona
Maureen
Nora
Gabrielle

To name a few...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:53 pm

Elita-1? Arcee? Sharon? Gertrude? Agatha? Ethel?

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:26 pm

Simone. After Simon Furman.

Or Furmaney after Simon Furman.

Transfannabeel · Post by **Transfannabeel** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:18 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:Simone. After Simon Furman.

Or Furmaney after Simon Furman.

How about Patty. After Pat Lee.

Post by **Denyer** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:22 pm

Elizabeth is a safe choice. It can be abbreviated in a large number of ways.

Chromia · Post by **Chromia** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:29 pm

dEcEpTiCoN MEGAtron wrote:Wifey and I are expecting our first, a baby girl due May 31.

Congrats!!!!

Rossum · Post by **Rossum** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:40 pm

Seconding the congratulations to you and your wife!

Civ wrote: Names?

Heather
Jennifer
Rebecca

To name a few...

Do not use any of these names--Heather and Jennifer are eighties-tastic, and take it from me, she won't thank you for Rebecca. Otherwise, just stay away from yuppie names like Madison and Kaitlyn, and you'll be fine!

Don't treat her with kid gloves just because she's a girl--go ahead and teach her the stuff you'd teach a boy, let her play with all kinds of toys. Ignore what TV tells you.

Also, expect that when she becomes a teenager, she will suddenly hate you and everything you do. Its an unavoidable fact of life; just accept it. It will end around the time she goes to college.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:53 pm

My Mother was Jennifer, perfectly good non 80's name.

Rossum · Post by **Rossum** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:56 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:My Mother was Jennifer, perfectly good non 80's name.

Ok, Ok, it's just that all the Jennifers I've known have disliked their names for being too common in this day and age. Though I've always thought "Jenny" was a pretty nickname.

Can we all agree that "Heather" is no good, at least? Advance apologies to anyone named Heather, of course.

Ackula · Post by **Ackula** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:57 pm

The best thing you can do to prepare for what is coming is to find an audio recording of the sound a wounded animal makes, most likely a deer would be closest. Put it in a timed CD player and set the timer for every 2 hours during the night so that you are woken up every two hours to this sound. When you wake up attempt to prepare a bottle with your eyes closed in less than 1 minute..it takes practice but it can happen.

Oh and I should probably mention this as well. Get used to handling human waste such as feces and urine. Just smear it all over yourself till it no longer bothers you. Ditto for vomit. The best advice ever given to me about a girl was to wipe from front to back. Hope this all helps.

...Oh and one last thing, all the good things outweigh the bad ones. You just have to be patient and understanding. They are worth all the hassles and aggravations in the long run, congratulations

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:01 pm

Jennifer's fairly timeless name (and not actually that common, at least in my corner of the UK I know two). Same for Heather really. Both have the advantage it's hard to make them into anything rude or insulting, which is a must for naming your kids as Children are bastards of the first order. I can't see Heather Graham's bloke complaining about her common name anyway...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:10 pm

Jennytalia and Heffer.

Rossum · Post by **Rossum** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:17 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:Jennytalia and Heffer.

And there you go. Maybe it's just a U.S. thing, but Heather is associated with mean popular girls, as seen in the movie "Heathers".

dEcEpTiCoN MEGAtron, what names were you thinking of to start with?

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:14 pm

Item to note: girls do not firehose you when you take their nappy off. I am informed that they leak and soak their clothes, which goes unnoticed until you're about to 'do' them up again. Also watch out for possetting, which both sexes go in for, so have a spare cloth under their head when the feed is over.

Go pick a name that doesn't sound wrong with your family name and you should be alright!

Oh, should I be here...?

Chromia · Post by **Chromia** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:34 pm

Rossum wrote:

Don't treat her with kid gloves just because she's a girl--go ahead and teach her the stuff you'd teach a boy, let her play with all kinds of toys. Ignore what TV tells you.

I second that as well. I don't have any girls, just two teenage boys (yes...pity me..). However..I will give you one bit of advice I wish I had gotten before I had my first kid:

Don't listen to a damn thing people say as to how YOU should raise your kids. Listen, smile and nod your head...then raise them as YOU see fit.:-)

Trust me on this one.

martyboy70 · Post by **martyboy70** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:19 am

As a wily veteran at this game(Kyle was 7 weeks old on Thursday) i can confirm the advice given is full of win.
@Ackula yes you must become immune to all boddily emissions (poop,pee,vomit,runny nose) as you will see them....a lot and sometimes all at once.
@Clogs Kyles favourite game at the moment is to wait until the second the nappy(diaper) has been removed and then do his impression of the Trevi fountain.He finds this highly amusing I on the other hand do not.
Also as far as names go we had other names picked out but when he was born and I finally stopped crying he just looked like a "Kyle" and my GF agreed so wait and see she may be the same.
@Chromia you are so right everyone and their dog will tell you how you should be talking to/feeding/bathing/winding/putting to bed your pride and joy.
I mean take my Mother-in-Law.......Please somebody take her!

Zeeks · Post by **Zeeks** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:20 am

Since the only "children" I take care of have 4 legs each, this is all I can offer you:

1. Walk the dog.
2. Make the cats shit outside when at all possible, but keep a clean litterbox just in case.
3. Love them unconditionally. (Very serious about this one.)
4. You will find little "gifts" on the floor from time to time, but remember: shit happens. Unavoidable fact of life. Don't get discouraged.
5. regular vet visits. get all shots and vaccines.
6. IF you have more than one "child", Don't show favoritism for one over the other, otherwise you have a growing Hitler/Jabba complex on your hands.
7. Be human- don't be all "Teacher" 24/7. Lighten up once in a while and show that you are just as fallable as they are.
8. Contact the nearest "child whisperer".

slartibartfast · Post by **slartibartfast** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:28 am

Congrats dude !.. If it's appropriate to congratulate someone for conceiving a child... heu, you get my point. Me and my better half talk quite often 'bout names for our hypothetical children... subtle hints... yoiks, Hello darling... Anyway, nice hippy, plant-y names are top of the list at the moment... names like Ivy, Heather(I like the name perso), or Daisy. not like 'spring flower', or 'morning glory'.

I reckon that the phonetics of our name have a huge influence on the development of our personality during childhood... there's probably a study on it somewhere and I'm bashing down open doors, but it would seem logical that it has an impact. I've found that people I've met who share the same name often have similar demeanours (within reason of course), and that when I meet someone for the first time and I can almost tell their name from their face, but then maybe it's simply because I'm forgetful.

don't forget to post pics of the birth.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:53 am

Cliffjumper wrote:Jennytalia and Heffer.

Well yes, you will have to put up with the fact that children will make an insult out of any name. Take comfort from the fact that if Cliffy ever has any Kids they'll be ripped to shreads ("Your father likes crap 80's toys no one else cares about!" "He prefers video to DVD like a Grandad!" and that's the tame stuff)