As a new parent, you have likely thought about how best to raise your child. You and your partner may have considered the best ways to support and guide your child through their lives. However, have you considered other role models for your child? Beyond grandparents, aunts, and uncles, you may want to give your child a godparent.

What are godparents?

The word godparent gets tossed around a lot, but many people do not know the origin of the term. Traditionally a godparent is a sponsor who is chosen when someone is baptized. The godparent is a member of the church community who supports the faith of the person being baptized. For religious people, this position is sacred.

Today, however, godparents are not strictly a religious thing. Even people who are not religious can appoint godparents to their children. If you are following the religious version of godparents, then your child can only have two godparents, and they must be a man and a woman. If you take a more secular approach, your baby can have as many godparents as you want.

Becoming a godparent is a big responsibility, but appointing the appropriate godparents can be just as challenging. Most of the time, people select godparents from their family and close friends. In the Catholic church, there are other requirements for godparents, such as the godparent cannot be directly related to the child. The godparent must also be over 16 years of age and active within the church.

Whether you take a religious approach or a nonreligious approach, becoming a godparent is a big responsibility. It is important to stay in the child’s life, and it is also important to be a good role model for the child.