So here’s some more mom guilt for you. Baby boys with uncommon or unpopular names are more likely to commit crimes as teenagers and young adults.

Researchers from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania compared the names of juvenile male delinquents to male names in the general population.

They concluded that boys with common names like Micheal, Robert and Brandon are less likely to commit crimes. Boys with unusual names that are not very common – they cite Ernest and Ivan, Kareem and Malcolm as examples – are more likely to break the law.

So how do they think that names cause boys to become criminals? Well, they say that the names don’t cause crime, but rather speculate that parents whose children are more likely to become criminals are more likely to give their child an unusual name.  “They [uncommon names] are connected to factors that increase the tendency to commit crime, such as a disadvantaged home environment, residence in a county with low socioeconomic status, and households run by one parent“.

Does this seem slightly snobbish to you? Single moms and poor people give their kids odd names?

(Aside: According to Rum and Monkey’s White Trash Name Generator, my white trash name is Britney Jo Chickensworth and my son is Walden McTrailer. You can find yours here!)

The researchers also suggest that children with uncommon names are more likely to be teased by other children and the emotional damage may predispose them to commit crimes.  That’s hardly a flawless argument too – I went to school with a kid called David who was mercilessly teased for having freckles, a Richard who was teased for being tall, and another kid called Micheal who was picked on for… I really have no idea why. Names are one of about a million reasons why a child would be teased at school.

And of course, naming your child something unusual is not a guarantee of a life of crime or a impossible barrier to success – consider Donald Trump, Keanu Reeves, Tiger Woods and Barack Obama.

Unusual names are becoming more popular than ever. New parents either seem to pick something classic from the current top ten, or are at the opposite end of the spectrum and choose something unusual.  In 18 years time, half of the babies who are now teenagers will have an unusual name and are they are all going to be criminals? I don’t imagine so.

Do you think giving your child an unusual name is a hinderance, or does it make no difference?

Conservative columnist and author Anne Coulter has a new book to promote, so she’s been on all the talk shows lately. Never one to shy away from controversial topics, and certainly never one to take the middle ground on an issue, this round of self-publicity has drawn the most fire over her opinions on single mothers. Single mothers, according to Anne,  raise rapists, strippers, runaways, and murderers, and are responsible for all of societies’ problems. Ironic then that she’s dressed as a call girl on the cover of the latest epic rant, Guilty: Liberal “Victims” and their attack on America.

I appreciate that Anne Coulter has worked out that the more controversy she generates, the more books she sells. But stirring up anger and resentment against a group of women who are by and large hardworking, nurturing, loving mothers, is doing society more harm than the very small minority of single moms who fit the stereotype that Coulter is peddling.  She keeps ranting, and encouraging people to vote for politicians who won’t fund programs to assist single moms with childcare, employment and healthcare, and single moms will continue to struggle and fall of the bottom of the ladder, and their children will suffer.

And what about the fathers who abandon their responsibilities, who number far in excess than neglectful single mothers?

It’s wrong to label every single one of the approximate one-third of American mothers who are raising kids without the children’s father in the home.

Many serial killers – Ted Bundy being the most notorious – have been raised by single mothers with absent fathers, but others like Jeffrey Dahmer, the Hillside Stranglers, and David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam” were all raised by married couples.

And conversely, Barack Obama was raised by a single mom. John McCain divorced his first wife, leaving her with full custody of their one child and two adopted children. And Sarah Palin’s unwed daughter is now an mom to baby Tripp.

And there’s me too. Is my son is going to grow up to be a murderer, rapist or stripper? He just learned to take his pants off and as toddlers do, has great enthusiasm for demonstrating his new skill, so he seems to have the qualifications for the last one. He’s also very good at building block towers and can recognize letters and numbers so I think it’s more likely he’ll be in construction or some kind of regular job that defies Anne Coulter’s expectations.

Coulter was on The View on Monday, getting into it with Whoopi Goldberg in particular, herself a single mom. If you’d like to fling something heavy at the computer or worship her outspokeness, you can catch it again on YouTube.

What do you think?

I had a few of those moments last weekend that made me remember why I wanted to have a baby, and which made me very grateful for my three-month-old daughter.

She woke up at 7 AM to eat, and I brought her into the bed with us to nurse from a side-lying position (one of our favorites at night and in the early hours of the morning.) After a bit, we both drifted off to sleep, waking up at 8:30.

My husband woke up at about the same time. He looked across our daughter, sleeping between us on her back with her arms stretched over her head and the slightest little smile on her face, and said “Good morning.” We lied there together for a few minutes watching her sleep, until I put her in her bassinet so we could get up and begin our day.

She woke up while I was cooking French toast and I asked my husband to take care of her. I still had the baby monitor clipped to my waist band, and I smiled as I heard the dialogue taking place in the bedroom. “Hey, kiddo!” he said. He must have seen her smile, then, as he commented, “Wow, you are in a good mood this morning.”

I listened as he lifted her up over his head, proclaiming, “Up, up, up. Down, down, down” (and a pause for kisses.) I listened to the whole diaper-changing routine, too, all the baby talk and sounds and games.

It’s often hard, while I leave my husband to watch my daughter so that I can work, to not get distracted listening to them together. It’s so much fun to watch them play—and even more fun when he doesn’t realize I’m doing it! (Of course, now my secret’s out.)

My husband can take my daughter, lift her over his head a lot higher than I could reach, swing her around, and play games that I’m just not brave enough to try. She feels secure in Daddy’s grasp and laughs and smiles with delight.

Meanwhile, I’m the only one who can get her to fall asleep by nursing (of course) or even singing to her. And sometimes, there’s just nothing like cuddling up in Mommy’s arms.

My husband’s mom raised three kids largely on her own, and my mom raised me alone from the age of 12. I give single moms so much credit; I simply don’t know how they do it.

When I think about how lucky I am to have my husband, who is a very active and involved father, I also realized how fortunate my daughter is to have us both around to love and nurture her in very different ways.

Moms, what activities do you love watching your husband do with the baby? Dads, what special gifts do you share with your children?

I’m separated from my son’s father and for the most part, I’ve had some wonderful support from family and friends. It’s often hard to accept help, but I’m so grateful to have someone make me dinner, help look after my son, or just listen to me complain when my ex is being a pain.

I’m a little saddened by the reaction of some people I know. One woman who I’ve know since when I was married has changed a lot. She’s married, with a child my son’s age, and we used to be friendly and now she treats me like I have a disease. I don’t think singleness or marriage breakups are catching? I don’t think my one-parent son will transmit something to her daughter.

I don’t know her true reasons for her change in attitude but it seems like she, and a couple of other mothers I know, are much more comfortable being with mothers in traditional two-parent families.

I can accept that it’s easier relating to people in the same situation as you, and perhaps the fact that I’m single reminds her that marriage isn’t always until death-do-us part and there’s fear of something happening to her family. I don’t know.

I asked my aggressive, alcoholic, emotionally neglectful husband to leave for a good reason. My home is much more peaceful and my son seems to be happier now he has two calm houses instead of one frightening one.

Single mothers, there’s a lot of us, mostly didn’t want to end up sole parents. I wish I had a loving partner to curl up with on the couch and take turns getting up at night when the baby is sick and go to the park together as a family at the weekends.

So this is a message to those in a good relationship. Give your partner a hug and tell them how much you appreciate them. And if you have any friends who are single moms, give them a hug (or make them a coffee) too.

I was in a relationship with my son’s father for over ten years, and married for over half of those – basically most of my adult life. My total experience with dating is based on watching Sex and the City, and listening to girlfriends’ escapades and adventures, with just a teeny twinge that I didn’t really get to have all that fun… and a little relief of not dealing with all that hassle too.

So now I’m a single mom, and at the point where I’ve grieved the end of my marriage, and feeling like it might be time to do something for me. I’m not trying to replace my son’s father. He has a father, who wasn’t a good husband, but was a good father. This is for me.

I adore my girlfriends, but it’s also nice to sit on a patio and drink a beer with a man who politely compliments my dress, is passionate about guy things like bikes and football, and doesn’t know or care whether SIGG bottles or Kleen Kanteens are superior in the eco-friendliness and the all important mom-competitiveness stakes.

So now I think I’m ready to at least try out a date. I’m still sore from my marriage breakup, but I’m refocused and now any possible heartache over a man is negligible compared with my love for my son. As long as I have him (which blissfully includes him shouting “I wuv you very much” at me) there’s no guy who can break my heart.

The man who took me out for a drink tonight, a friend-of-a-friend, seems like a nice guy, and we agreed to do it again next week. (Re: men interests… I like my bike too. We had one thing, and a couple of others in common.) I’m taking it slow, and I’m not introducing him to my son any time soon, but we’ll see how things go.

A group of girls I hang out with are planning to go skydiving next month. I’m partly petrified at the thought, and partly really want to do it.

It’s something I’ve always kinda wanted to do, even though I’m scared of flying on a regular commercial flight. I think it would be terrifying up to the moment you land on the ground, then would feel incredible.

If It wasn’t a mom, I’d be signing up and handing over my credit card with the deposit right now. But as a mom – and a single mom, with my son’s father a workaholic, and his only family a set of aging parents and not that capable of taking care of him – is it a sensible thing to do?

Morbid ol’ me found a website called dropzone.com who maintain records of skydiving fatalities – 20 in North America last year. That’s from 3 million jumps. So it’s probably less dangerous than driving my car or riding my bike.

If I crashed my car or fall off my bike, it would be seen as a tragic accident. But if i killed myself skydiving, I can imagine everyone saying how stupid I was. And maybe my son would be angry with me for taking the risk and leaving him motherless.

So should I go?

This is the internet. You won’t see me glare when you tell me I’m being utterly irresponsible. Give me your honest opinion.

Single mothers – and their children – tend to be criticized in the press. When reports of delinquent children make the news, it’s always mentioned if the child is from a one-parent home.

The single moms I know are all wonderful mothers, and here’s a piece of positive news for single mothers. According to a study in the United Kingdom, single mothers are better at teaching their children the value of money. Single moms are also more likely to involve their children in household budgets and the day-to-day running of the house. Moms in the survey say it’s partly because they want their children to be able to understand why they can’t have a new Playstation game or Bratz doll this month.

Understanding financial matters, such as budgeting, paying bills on time, saving for education and rainy days, and curbing impulse buys, is a very underrated skill for children to learn.

All moms – and dads – can include your children in household budgeting and teach financial skills at some level. For toddlers and young children, parents can explain in the store that candy costs the same as a small toy or a hair bow, and that they only have enough money to buy one of them.

A way to explain saving, is to give them a reward, like a small coin to put in a jar or a sticker to go on a chart, in exchange for helping out with chores, and when they have saved a specified amount, say three, or five, they can use them to “pay” for a treat or an outing.