Choosing a godparent for your child is an important decision, because the person you choose will be responsible for providing guidance and life lessons to your child. The person you choose as a godparent when it comes to your child’s Christening or Baptism will have a significant role in your child’s life. Know how to choose a godparent by considering a few important factors about the candidates. Here are a few tips and guidelines.
Make a list.
- One tool that will help in the process of choosing a godparent is a list of the positive and negative qualities of the person you’re considering. Make a list of the character traits, values and accomplishments you admire about the person along with any undesirable elements that you wouldn’t want your child exposed to. Having these characteristics written down in black and white will help you weigh out what’s important.
Know how involved you want him or her to be.
- Appoint a godparent based on what role you want him or her to play in the life of your child. If you want the godparent to offer religious guidance, life lessons or to be the child’s guardian in the event of your death, the candidate you select should be someone willing to accept this role and responsibility.
Choose someone with similar values.
- Pick a godparent that has similar moral and ethical values as you do. This will provide your child with a consistent positive influence and moral compass that aligns with the core values you’re trying to instill.
Look within your family.
- Consider choosing a godparent from within your family, like a sibling or cousin. There could be a stronger bond between your child and the godparent if the two are from the same family and the child will potentially see the godparent more regularly at family functions.
Consider logistics.
- It’s important to choose a godparent that will get to see and interact with your child on a regular basis, because this will allow the godparent to provide the leadership and guidance you want him or her to give your child. Choose a godparent that is geographically close to you and your child so the two of them can stay in contact.
Select someone dependable.
- The godparent you choose should be someone with a relatively stable life and strong sense of personal responsibility that can be counted on to attend important functions like baptisms and graduations and to interact with the child often. Choose someone you trust with your child that is responsible.
Ask your clergy leader.
- Discuss the selection of a godparent with your minister or clergy leader. You might find that the godparent you wish to appoint is a member of your congregation. The clergy leader will be able to help you determine what characteristics are most important in the godparent you choose.
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