Tips for Choosing the Perfect Name for Your Child

Parents adopt various "rules" when it comes to naming babies. The more practical ones include giving your child a name that..

• is easy to pronounce in most languages
• others can easily spell
• is short and singular (for someone with long surnames)
• is not owned by an infamous character
• hasn't already been "coveted" by a relative
• has a meaning you like
• goes well phonetically with your surname
• doesn't form monikers or initials that might be made fun of (like P.O.O. or R.I.P.)

Your Child Has Not Yet Begun Talking

There are some babies that reach 13 months but still has not begun to talk yet. Because of this some are worried, some might think there might be a problem with their child's language development. Experts says that a common red flag is the absence of your child's first word at about 12 to 18 months. At this age, your child must already have at least 25 words in his vocabulary. Take note that a word is something he says specifically for an object or a person. It's not just a random set of sounds he makes, as in babbling. You might think your child's first word is "mama" but if he call everyone and everything else "mama", then it's not considered a word.

There are also some babies who don't pass through the babbling stage - this is also a cause for concern. They could be deaf or have some other problem.

You should expect your child to start talking between one to two years old. Some parents tend to wait for a child to talk until he is three and already going to school, but if there's a problem, it's not good to waste time.