by Christina Strong


What makes a Savvy Godmother? That’s the question we set out to answer when we asked women with godchildren from around the country to share tips on what they thought made a godmother savvy. The answers varied, but below are some of their tips to help any godmother learn to walk the savvy path.

1. Create something special that honors your godchildren, such as "God-kid Day.”

2. Be dependable and keep your word. If you tell them you will help them with a project, take them shopping, or give them cash when they receive high grades on their report card, keep your promises.

3. Help them with their dreams, visions, and goals. If he or she wants to be a chef, schedule a tour at a world famous restaurant with the opportunity for him or her to meet the head chef.

4. Buy them their first piece of stock or teach them about finances by opening up a bank account for them.

5. Take them with you to work and tell everyone how proud you are of them.

6. Be an acting parent. Don’t be absent from the child's life at all. There should be constant interaction and a strong support system for that child that you create along with their parent(s).

7. Consider godmother-hood an opportunity to strengthen your parental know-how for your own potential children someday, as well as a privileged opportunity to mentor someone who will look up to you as a role model for the rest of his or her life.

8. Be there when your godchildren need something that their parents can’t provide.

9. Help with the care of a godchild’s children, if they have any.

10. Help your godchildren plan special celebrations for their parents, i.e., planning a special night out for a parents' 30th wedding anniversary.

Every godmother out there wants to be the best possible. Consider the above tips and then create your own guidelines to become savvier and the best possible godmother that you could ever be.


Sources: Chantay Clark a godmother of 9 in Los Angeles, California, Renee D. Jennings a future godmother of one from Brooklyn, New York, Kanedra Archie, godmother of one from Detroit, Michigan, and Tina Wynn, a godmother of 3 from Fort Lee, New Jersey.


Published: November 9, 2011