Love, Marriage and Baby
New parents Dr. Renesha Butler-Guilliod and Patrick Guilliod married on September 3, 2016, and have recently become the proud parents of a sweet baby girl on September 23, 2018.
Renesha and Patrick share their experience as new parents and discuss their parenting style, how they prepared for their baby’s arrival, the significance of their daughters name and how they keep the romance alive in their marriage as they navigate parenthood.
Helping Your Child Navigate
Every family is different and the style of parenting a couple chooses is deeply rooted in their individual characteristics.
Parents today are faced with the challenges of navigating today’s highly charged political climate that perpetuates a constant atmosphere of fear over everything from race relations to gun violence.
All of these things can cause todays modern couple to question how best to raise happy, safe and well adjusted children.
Dr. Butler-Guilliod, a Pediatrician, who has seen first hand how parenting can effect children, had this to say about her experience working with other parents. “I imagine, at least I hope that I will be able to implement some of the positive things that I have learned over the years.”
When asked about their parenting style, the couple readily admits that they haven’t defined their style just yet but feel their easy going nature will carry over into their parenting.
The Significance of a Name
A child’s name, for many parents has deep significant meaning that is rooted in sentimental reasons and Renesha and Patrick are no different in this regard.
The couple choose the name Alexandra Rose because of the meaning and the name is common but not too popular.
“My husband and I decided that we wanted a name that was common, but not overly used. It was also imperative for me to make sure that my daughter’s name had a meaning, something that she would be proud of. The name is Greek in origin and it means “defender of mankind”.
Her middle name, “Rose”, was chosen because of the sentimental reasons it has for the couple “One of my favorite things is receiving red roses from my husband.” Also, roses are Renesha’s favorite flower.
In Preparation for our Daughter
Having a baby brings on so many new lifestyle changes for new parents and many couples prepare well in advance for their children. The Guilliod’s prepared for the arrival of their daughter by making the following lifestyle changes.
- Bought a bigger home with an extra bedroom big enough to be a nursery.
- Communicated with each other about parenting styles and how they envisioned their child’s life.
- Financially assessed if they could realistically afford java child.
- Renesha focused on getting healthier by eating better and taking vitamins that would support the baby before she got pregnant.
- They talked with other family members and friends about their experiences and what lessons parenthood taught them.
Parents Have to Filter and Monitor Everything…..
Parenting has always been a tough job to navigate but in today’s politically correct society, saying or doing something offensive can get you fired from your job or have you trending on social media.
Parents have to filter and monitor everything that could potentially be a negative influence on their child with much more scrutiny than parents did just a decade ago.
When asked what they believe will be one of the hardest conversations they will need to have with their daughter, the couple expressed their concerns over racial tensions in our society. “In this society, I think talking to my child about racial tension will be extremely hard.”
According to Dr. Butler-Guilliod, “I think for children who are African-American, it may seem as though there is something wrong with them simply because of how God made them. That’s a hard thing to digest at any age, but now we are telling our children this at an even younger age.”
A Letter to My Daughter
When asked if they wrote a letter today to their baby, to open on her eighteenth birthday what that letter will say. Renesha said, “I would tell her that she lives in a world where she can be anything that she wants to be if she works hard, learns to sacrifice, and dedicates herself to her dreams.”
Renesha spoke about how she would tell her daughter about how tough the world is but that she has a village of friends and family who will nurture and support her all of her life and not to give up on life, even when it seems life has given up on her.
She went on to say that she would teach her daughter to teach everyone with respect and to always be empathetic, forgiving, humble and kind towards others.
Maintaining The Romance When You Have Children
The Guilliod’s strongly believe that maintaining the romance in their marriage is just as important as parenting. Here are 4 things they do to keep the romance alive.
- Communication and patience!
- Let the baby stay with family, friends, or a babysitter and go out on date nights.
- Find a community of people that you will be able to talk to and lean on during the good and bad times.
- Do the things that made you happy and shaped who you were pre-baby.
Having more children is not in the Guilliod’s immediate future, mostly due to all the health complications Renesha experienced having Alexandra Rose which culminated in her early 1.5 month early arrival.
One thing is for certain, and that’s the joy and happiness that these new parents are experiencing as they watch their beautiful baby girl who smiles and laughs a lot, develop and grow.
