I’m thinking of changing Avery’s name to Katniss and making Bennett hunt for his own food in the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary to toughen him up. Sound radical? I’m just cottoning on to two of the latest trends: Hunger Games baby names and Hunger Games parenting. If you, like me, can’t get enough of the bestselling book and hit movie, there are ways to incorporate the phenomenon into all aspects of your life, from parenting to travel! Read on.
There's nothing like a bestseller to spark some new trends.
1. ‘Hunger Games’ parenting. Forget the Tiger Mom and that Bringing up Bebe lady, Vanity Fair writer and editor Bruce Handy champions the cause of the Hunger Games mommy in a hilarious send-up in The New York Times Sunday Review. In a nutshell, the strict parenting philosophy advocates motivating children with the threat of their imminent death. That’s right kiddo, you’d better get an ‘A’ on that exam or mommy’s going to sic the pit bulls on you!
2. Hunger Games baby names. Not long ago I wrote a blog about people naming their babies after college football stars, but that’s so 2011. This year, your baby’s only cool if it’s named after a tribute. According to Nameberry, the most popular picks are Rue for girls and Cato for boys (I know his character is unlikeable, but the guy who plays Cato in the movie kinda looks like Prince Harry! Hot!) Not surprisingly, every blockbuster franchise has some name duds, too (um, remember Hermione?), so it’s little wonder the District 12 mentor’s moniker didn’t make the cut — you’ll want to think twice about adding Haymitch to the short-list unless your babe is a disheveled Scotch drinker (and I’m not talking about your boyfriend).
Awwww, isn't my little Haymitch precious?
3. Hunger Games travel. OK, so you’ll probably never find yourself in a situation where you need to saw a hornet nest onto your sleeping enemies, but it couldn’t hurt to brush up on your survival skills, could it? GoVoluntouring offers survival training adventure trips such as a 15-day Papua New Guinea expedition that includes jungle training, hazardous flora and fauna lessons (no Nightlock, thanks!), river and ravine crossing techniques and setting up natural shelters — all while watching out for crocodiles!
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