How to Train Your Dragon

In case you haven't heard, this is a very auspicious year to have a baby. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, January 23, 2012, marked the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. It is considered the luckiest of all years in the Chinese Zodiac because dragons are believed to take initiative, make great leaders, command respect and, thus, be very successful in life. As the Year of the Dragon only comes every 12 years, this had people of Chinese descent, including here in the United States, making every effort to have a baby by February 9, 2013, when the year ends. I have a dragon baby, and she can definitely be temperamental, very curious, incredibly playful and generally determined to have her way. Typical newborn, right? Can yours "breathe fire" as far as two feet? (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating...a little.) While my husband and I weren't one of those couples who intentionally timed our pregnancy in order to give birth to a dragon, you'd think we were in cahoots with our friends to raise an army of them. In our circle alone, there are already 6 dragon babies with 4 more on the way, making for quite the brood to contend with if they indeed rule the world in a few decades. Knowing you too might be housing your own dragon or dragon-to-be, here are some things we've learned so far about raising these little creatures: 5 Things You Should Know About (Baby) Dragons 1) Don't mess with a hungry dragon. Feed them for as long and as much as they want, or they go from docile to fierce. Why risk the consequences? 2) Never underestimate a dragon based on its size.  They all have a mighty "roar," no matter how big or small they are, so powerful it can be heard in the next kingdom. 3) Take extreme caution when approaching a sleeping dragon. You might think they are in deep slumber, but they can awaken in an instant. And you better hope they're not hungry. (See #1.) 4) Always carry a shield when handling a dragon. You'll need it to protect yourself from its "fire," which can unexpectedly come from two directions, and reach farther than you could've imagined. 5) Dragons can be really intimidating at first, but with great care, you can really get to those treasures they are said to possess. And they'll share those treasures again and again - even in times of fire.