i started with a name. my daughter's name is theory sera.
theory as in: a system of assumptions, accepted principles and/or rules of procedure devised to analyze, predict or explain a set of phenomena. (theory is also a cool clothing line, so the name is deep yet ghetto. j/k) sera as in: seraphim, the angel, the highest class of celestial being... and my grandmother's name was sarah. obviously, i believe in names having "power" or "energy." i mostly believe this based on observation coupled with all that zodiac stuff...

when my daughter was born, i was so surprised that she looked just like me. it's so interesting to see... you wait nine months, imagining what your child is going to look like... everyone says newborns are funny looking, but when she/he's yours, it's just wow.

on health:
women must understand how important it is to "eat right" and "take care" while pregnant. your baby can be born perfectly healthy and bright, but fives years later, have learning problems (one example) as a result of what you did/did not eat, chemicals you exposed yourself to, high stress levels... of course one can do everything "right" and face such problems, but the point is to be aware. women should also know/understand the benefits of breastfeeding before deciding against it.

as far as the child's diet, i think children need to be exposed to a variety of foods including meat and dairy from ages 1 to 5, esp. for determining allergies. some children will just naturally shy away from meat. if you are a meat eater, and want your child not to eat meat to be healthier than you, you need to stop eating meat. your health as a parent is important as well, denying your health could lead to denying your child a parent... as with smoking and so on...

on talent and education:
every parent should see her/his child as and individual, from birth. as you watch your child grow, you will see she has a knack for some things... of course you want her to be well rounded, but if you see a knack developing into a talent, help your child nurture that talent. buy books and materials specifically related to the things you see your child has a long term interest in. even toys, you can tailor toys to your child's interest instead of just buying the standard truck and barbie... (maybe this instead of barbie: http://www.estyle.com/common/dProductDetail.asp?PMId=8742&SIND=2&frm=1&cmCL=artscrafts&cmPG=ktoys&cmDM=10)

when your child begins school, use your child's talents to help her learn and understand concepts she is having trouble with. i also believe in the different kinds of smarts - like visually smart, verbally smart, emotionally smart, tech smart... no child is "stupid." stupidity seems to be a learned condition...

i guess that's all i have for now...