Ready your child for reading

It's never too soon to start your child on the path to reading. Simply talking to your infant and toddler helps her develop the vocabulary she will need as she enters school and begins to read. As you point and name objects, she will begin to understand the meaning of words, and will eventually begin to incorporate those words into her vocabulary.

The U. S. Department of Education recommends beginning to read to your baby when she is six months old. According to their 2003 report, "Hearing words over and over helps her become familiar with them. Reading to your baby is one of the best ways to help her learn."

In that same report, the Department of Education also recommends that parents reach out to groups that can:

* Help you find age-appropriate books to use at home with your child;

* Show you creative ways to use books with your child and other tips to help her learn; and

* Provide year-round children's reading and educational activities.

A child's love for reading grows when the words on the page come to life through experiences shared as a family. For example, after reading Eric Carle's Ten Little Rubber Ducks to your toddler, you can learn all about real ducks, make ocean snacks, or go on a family outing and feed the ducks at a nearby pond.

In order to help your child get ready to read, the Department of Education also recommends:

* Using sounds, songs, gestures, and words that rhyme to help your baby learn about language and its many uses.

* Pointing out the printed words in your home and other places you take your child to, such as the grocery store.

* Spending as much time listening to your child as you do talking to her.

* Taking children's books and writing materials with you whenever you leave home. This gives your child fun activities to entertain and occupy herself while traveling and running errands.

* Creating a quiet, special place in your home for your child to read, write, and draw.

* Keeping books and other reading materials where your child can easily reach them. Having her own bookshelf or small bookcase will not only make her feel special, but will also communicate to her that reading is special.

* Reading books, newspapers and magazines yourself, so that your child can see that reading is important.

* Limiting the amount and type of television you and your child watch.

The best thing for you do to ensure that your child will grow up reading well and loving to read is to read to her every day. The time you spend reading together will create a special bond between the two of you, and will open the doors for a dialogue that will continue throughout the more trying years of adolescence. The Department of Education suggests that, when you're reading, you discuss new words. As an example, they suggest that you say, "This big house is called a palace. Who do you think lives in a palace?" Likewise, they suggest taking time to ask about the pictures and what your child thinks is happening in the story.

The same report suggests additional strategies for early literacy:

* When reading a book with large print, point at each word as you read it. Your child will understand that the word being spoken is the word she sees.

* Read a favorite book over and over again.

* Read stories with rhyming words and lines that repeat, and have your child join in.

* Read from a variety of children's books, including fairy tales, poems, and non-fiction.

The more strategies you can incorporate into your child's reading experience, the more likely you are to help your child develop into a strong reader.

How to choose unusual unique baby names

Nowadays, fewer parents are naming their kids with traditional and classic names, trying to find a different, refreshing name for their child. Because of this, finding a really Unique baby name is becoming much harder.

These are some helpful tips that we think may help you find an unusual, yet comfortable name for your child.

Traditional (but Unique Baby Names):

There are still the traditional ways of selecting your baby's name. The first, of course, is using a name that has been in the family for years - perhaps the name of an aunt or uncle, or a grandparent. The other way is to browse through the Baby Names Dictionarys' 28,000+ names to select from. Although some of the names are common, you can certainly find some unusual names.

Name meanings:

To choose a unique name, you could decide on what you want your child's name to mean. Baby Names Dictionary has a resource where you can type in what you want your child's name to mean. From there, we will pull out a list of names, both popular and unusual, with that meaning.

Place names:

A lot of parents nowadays are using this method to name their child. Some places actually make pretty good names, but because method is becoming popular, naming your child after the place she or he was born may not make a very uncommon name anymore. Places like Colorado, Phoenix, Denver or Salem are some popular names for boys. As for the girls, Paris, Vienna, Asia and Atlanta are some of the preferred names.

Names from nature:

Words from nature are also a unique way of naming your kids. That way, the beauty of that word is in your child's name. How about something like Raine, Leaf, Sky or Dew?

Using a surname as a first name for unusual baby names:

This is also another method of naming that is becoming more and more common. It means taking the surnames of your ancestors, famous people, or anyone of your choice and using it as a first name. Like for girls, some popular surnames used as first names are McCartney, Bronte, Liotta and Piper. For boys, Beckett, Addison, Brewster, Donovan and Jenson are popular.

Anagrams:

Want a unique name for your child but there are a few traditional ones that you really like? Take that name and create an anagram of it. Use Scrabble tiles from the game and shift the letters or add a few more. Be creative. Let your imagination run wild.

Telescoping:

Take the name and drop letters until you've found a name you like. Kahlil and Gibran can be combined and then telescoped to Kabran. Schuyler can be telescoped to become Sky. Get the picture?

From the father's name:

You can name your child after their father. For example, if the father's name is Donald, his son can be Doni or his daughter, Donnie. Or John. It can be changed to Joanie, Joanna or Jonalie.

From the mother's name:

Naming a boy after his mother's maiden name is one way of doing it. You could change the mother's name to a suitable name for a boy. Like Mary, you could alter it to Martin, Matt, Mason or Marren. Or if it's a girl you could name her Marii, Marinne or Marine.

Name or word combinations:

This means a name taken from combining two other names; most of the time it's from the child's parents or grandparents. For instance, let's say a couple, Ridge and Brooke, have a baby girl. They could combine their names together and name her Bridgette. This may not be very unique, but you get the idea. A better example would be David and Trina. (Davina) This way, you get an unusual name for your child and at the same time, you can honor a family member.

Change the spelling:

Make an ordinary name more unusual by changing the spelling. Like Caitlin, it can become CaitLin. You could change Rianne to RiAnne. Or, you also could add an apostrophe, and Janet becomes J'Nette/J'Net.

Unique names are fun, different and anything goes! Its only limitation is your imagination. Names are inspired from everywhere, from fashion designers to colors to months. June and April make nice names for girls. Azure, Gray and Burgundy are also great names. Countries or states like Dakota or Carolina are also used. But remember, with every pro, there's a con.

Names that are very complicated to pronounce or spell, although it makes them stand out, it also brings aggravation to your child because they would have to constantly correct the spelling or pronunciation for the rest of their life.

Oh yeah, and also, giving a boy a girl's name or vice versa is something you absolutely do not want to do. Imagine the amount of teasing he or she would get from their classmates. Not something you would want for your child, to be laughed at and teased. Howard O'Brien is now Anne Rice, author of the famous vampire books. She was given a boy's name because her folks wanted a boy!

Overall, unique names are not a bad thing. Just be kind to your kid and choose wisely.