Deciding the name of your newborn is an exciting time for parents and caregivers, it’s a huge decision because that’s the name they’re stuck with for life.
The name you choose becomes theirs and slowly they start to look like their name because it just fits them so well, as it’s chosen with love, thought and meaning.
But what if this right to name your child is taken away from you? One parent spoke about how her mother in law tried to change their child’s name, leaving the parents fuming.
On the Reddit post she explained that she had given birth to her son the previous week. She and her husband had agreed to name their son after her father who passed away when she was 14.
She went on to explain their son’s middle name is named after her husband’s grandfather.
However, her MIL was not very happy with the chosen name.
“The day I was due, I only wanted husband there. He drove me to the hospital and MIL walks into the room and starts babbling on about the baby’s name, feeding schedules, etc. I kept it together as best as I could. After son was born, MIL was trying to talk husband into convincing me to change his name,” wrote the Redditor.
In fact, things went even further when the MIL even asked the nurses if she could legally change the grandchild’s name.
“She even went as far as to accuse me of controlling husband into his name. I yelled at her to get out of the room and we will not be changing the name. She left and has been telling family members a different story.
“My husband has been sticking up for me and told her that nothing will be changed. If she continues, we will be cutting her off from seeing her grandson. Now, most of her side of the family are calling me names and demanding I apologise to MIL.”
Reddit users were quick to sympathise with the poster, one said the grandparent has no right to name the grandchild and that she had the chance to name her own kids.
Another said: “You need to set firm boundaries with your MIL. She’s very controlling and she has no right to barge in there and make you change the baby’s name.”
People were applauding the poster’s husband for standing up to his mother, one person said it’s rare to find a partner like that when it comes to these situations.
They added: “Keep being a partnership and hold that line together. Tell your MIL she either shapes up or is restricted from seeing her grand baby she seems to have so many opinions about. Congrats on your new, tiny human!”
Majority of commenters supported the parents, agreeing that it was wrong for the MIL to even attempt to legally change the name of the baby.
According to British law, although grandparents do play a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren, they do not have automatic rights over them.
Rayden Solicitors says: “In England and Wales, grandparents do not have an automatic right to see their grandchildren and they also do not have automatic parental responsibility. It is not possible for grandparents to gain parental responsibility by applying for a Parental Responsibility Order” – meaning all decisions related to the child are up to the parents or legal guardians of that child.
So, what are your thoughts on grandparents choosing the baby’s name?