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" \n You no doubt take precautions to ensure you don&amp;#039;t become a mother right now, but you may wonder if you have what it takes to be a fab mom later on. Well, there are ways to tell.  &amp;quot;Certain characteristics make a person more likely to be a good parent,&amp;quot; explains child psychologist Virginia Shiller, PhD, author of Rewards for Kids! Many women naturally develop these qualities over time, she says. But you can actively awaken them now so they&amp;#039;re present should you opt for future mommyhood. We show you how.  A Strong Intuition Can you tell if your guy is upset via his body lingo? Do you know when a coworker is stressed by a slight change in her expression? Since infants can&amp;#039;t verbalize their feelings, &amp;quot;you&amp;#039;ll have to use indirect cues like these to interpret your baby&amp;#039;s needs,&amp;quot; says Shiller. Tap in to your intuition by taking a minute to feel people out before they divulge their thoughts, says Los Angeles psychologist Yvonne Thomas, PhD. &amp;quot;You may be surprised by how much your inner voice can reveal.&amp;quot; Then, once you&amp;#039;re a mom, you&amp;#039;ll be picking up the most subtle clues.  A Knack for Nurturing Women who baby their men and chicks who counsel pals in crises are primed for parenthood. &amp;quot;This demonstrates you&amp;#039;re able to comfort others,&amp;quot; says Shiller. One way to foster your caretaking side: &amp;quot;If a pal seems down, don&amp;#039;t just ask if she&amp;#039;s okay,&amp;quot; suggests Thomas. &amp;quot;Put your arm around her and help her find a solution.&amp;quot;   The Ability to Keep Your Cool Everyone gets frazzled, but women who rein in their emotions before they freak have a leg up on being terrific moms. &amp;quot;You probably won&amp;#039;t take out frustration on your future kids,&amp;quot; explains Daniela Montalto, PhD, a developmental psychologist at the New York University Child Study Center.  To train yourself to stay chill, put what&amp;#039;s setting you off in perspective. Most triggers aren&amp;#039;t worth flipping out over. And when stress bubbles up, have a go-to activity that relaxes you, like hitting the gym, says Thomas.   A Willingness to Ask for Help When a job is too big to handle solo, a good mom enlists assistance, says Shiller. So begin reaching out if you&amp;#039;re overwhelmed, say by asking your guy to pitch in more around the house.   A Playful Attitude A vital parenting trait is having fun. &amp;quot;This helps you interact with kids better and become part of their world,&amp;quot; says Montalto. If you have trouble getting in touch with your carefree side, &amp;quot;focus on how things feel instead of worrying whether you look silly,&amp;quot; says Thomas. &amp;quot;You&amp;#039;ll let loose and live in the moment.&amp;quot; Just like children do. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/advice/a3292/how-to-be-a-good-mom-0907/>