Forum Index
»
Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers
INLAWs refuse to call my DS by his birth name!
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
So my inlaws will only refer to my son by the name "roo". This is NOT his name! I don't like this nickname, it sounds stupid.
I've told them before that I don't like this, but they still call him Roo. Has anyone else come accross this problem, people not respecting your child's birth name? What have you done? Should I just drop it and hope it goes away (has been going on for 2yrs now). Why do some people insist on abreviating names? Their family is notorious for this. If I wanted to name my son Roo, I would have done on the day he was born. They are so opinionated about names. When we told them his birth name they turned their nose up (BTW, my son's name is a classic, so there is no reason for them to act like asses). If we have a girl next we already have her name picked out and they already turned their noses up on that and have suggested some equally stupid nick names. |
Anonymous
|
You can't police every aspect of your child's relationship with his relatives, and you'll make yourself crazy if you try. Pretty soon, I'll bet, your child will start correcting them himself. (I have a cousin named Ana Joy, and some people called her AJ from babyhood. One of her first complete sentences was "No, my name is Ana!") If your and your husband's efforts have failed, the child might fix it himself. If he wants it fixed, that is. He might like having a nickname, in which case, there's no problem. I doubt that will be the case. Most children don't like babyish nicknames, and will resist them.
|
Anonymous
|
If they are calling him Roo, then the name could not be much of classic. My parents called my kids different names all the time and my kids love it. Get a sense of humor.
|
Anonymous
| My in-laws came up with a name they thought was funny while I was pregnant. The name is dumb and sounds like he is a hill billy. They write the name on cards, call him that and tell people that's his name. It seems to have slowed down a bit once I stopped protesting. I think my annoyance was fueling the fire. Unfortunately, your son may have to correct them on his own at some point. |
Anonymous
| "Roo" is a pretty sweet nickname, at least according to my child, who loves Winnie the Pooh and often wants to be called Roo (or Pooh or Piglet, depending on the mood of the moment). From the tone of your post, though, it sounds like there's a lot more going on here than your in-laws using a nickname you dislike. You seem to have a lot of issues with them. |
Anonymous
| I disagree with the people telling OP to relax. It is not okay for your inlaws to call the child something other than its name. Nor do you have to have issues with them for this to bother you. I would flat out ask them why they ignore your stated request to use the given name. |
Anonymous
His name could be Collin or James for all you know. Just because you like nicknames doesn't mean that OP does. |
Anonymous
My brother and his wife named their son a name that was the same as the kid that used to beat up on my brother when he was little. I know it was my SIL's idea and that my brother went along with it to please her. Unfortunately the rest of the family has very bad associations with the name, so they call him "Little Guy" instead. I mean, I almost choke when I have to call him the pinhead name she picked, so I just don't. |
Anonymous
| I understand your frustration. We spend months picking our children's names and it really is insulting when it seems like they don't like it. My MIL made it abundantly clear that she hated my sons name (FYI - another "classic name" which we chose to honor my grandpa) and would mock it and come up with really weird reasons why. It really made the first year pretty rough between the two of us but she has finally started calling him by his name vs. his middle name which is from her side of the family. |
Anonymous
|
I'm totally intrigued. What, pray tell, could his given name possible be -- that he ends up with "Roo" as a nickname? Rueben?
|
Anonymous
| Robert? Ronald? Roger? |
Anonymous
Rupert? Maybe it has nothing to do with his actual name...my parents call me "Pinks" or "Pinky" and my name is Sarah! Personally, I always love hearing pet names that people come up with for kids as long as they are not insulting. It is like something special that only close friends or family can do. |
Anonymous
| I was assuming it was "Roo" from Winnie the Pooh -- that is from "Kanga" (mom kangaroo) and "Roo" (baby kangaroo), no? |
Anonymous
|
OP here.
His name is Andrew, and yes, I consider that a classic. I'm not sure why they can't just call him Drew if they must. I don't have issues with my inlaws, I simply happen to like the name we picked and don't think its outrageous to ask that the name be respected. I named my son after my father who passed away a few months after I married, who never got to meet his first grandchild. I think its completely insensitive to butcher my son's name like that. My father was called Andrew and I prefer that until my son can make his own choices that he be called Andrew. If I meet someone named Michelle, should I insist on calling her Shelly? Should Michelle simply relax when I refer to her as Shelly? |
Anonymous
| I use the "Roo" nickname for my daughter...her name is Cassie and somehow (sleep deprived?) when she started rolling over I called her Cass-a-rolls and that proceeded into Cass-a-Roo (occasionally Rooney or Roo Roo). Oh well, just thought I'd add a vote for Roo, which totally doesn't add a thing to this poor OP's discussion point! Sorry to be OT! |