DH and I were talking about god parents. We have friends who just had their baby.
Does your LO have god parents? Who are they (friends or family)?
What will their responsibilities be as God parents? How does it differ from legal guardian?
-
Our kids only have a godmother, my sister-in-law. Besides also being listed as their legal guardian, we wanted a stable influence in our kids' lives. Someone who is accomplished, confident, stable, and can explain our religious choices if our kids want to talk with someone other than DH and I about religion/spirituality/etc... Generally, though, we just wanted someone who will be definite in their lives no matter what, and who will be a good role model for them.
-
I'm trying to think of how to word this without it sounding badly lol but everyone that I know who has godparents is ..of the darker complexion? haha I don't know any white/Asian people who have god parents. Our LO won't. From what I know of friends who have godparents, they act like an aunt or uncle in terms of closeness. They have no legal rights but if something were to happen to the actual parents, the god parents would get custody?
-
Our LO doesn't have any godparents!
-
My daughter does not have godparents (I think this might typically be a Catholic thing) but DH is godfather to a friends' son and I have godparents from when I was baptized as an infant. We dedicated DD which means we presented her before our church and agreed to raise her in a Christian home.
My understanding is that the role of a godparent is to help ensure that the child is raised in a Christian home. The role of legal guardian is a legal designation as to whom will raise and care for your child if you pass away before they are adults.
-
@MrsTiz: I'm white and I have godparents. Most people around me have god parents actually. Maybe its regional?
-
Im white and everyone around me also has godparents, so maybe it is regional. Though DH is from the midwest and its the same with him, so who knows. Anyways, Livs Godparents are my brother and DHs sister. They basically act as a closer aunt and uncle than normal. Their technical responsibility is to offer spiritual guidance to the child. Truthfully, for us, it was a formality....
-
@purrpletulips: Yeah, I agree. That's what I think of God parents. I think God parents are different from legal guardians if we were to pass away. I, also, think god parents should be friends because aunt and uncles will always be family. Also, I don't know how I could choose between my sisters or brothers.
@MrsTiz: I'm asian and I have god parents. (They moved away when I was 8 and haven't seen them since.) Also, I'm Catholic so I believe I have to pick god parents when our future LO is baptized.
As for the DH, he was raised Lutheran and he has god parents. (He's white.) He wasn't sure of the difference between god parents and legal guardians. I think he believed that god parents would care for the child if we were to pass away. I think he is learning the difference.
-
Interesting topic... I'm guessing my future LO's will not have godparents, mainly because we are not particularly spiritual, nor are most of our friends or family.
-
Our lo will have god parents. She will be baptized when she is 5 months old and her god parents will be our best friends - who were also our maid of honor and best man. They are the people who have been there for us for so long in our lives and they are our family. We aren't super close to our siblings, so this works out best.
I like how @honeybee put it: Generally, though, we just wanted someone who will be definite in their lives no matter what, and who will be a good role model for them.
Her godmother is not religious, but she is spiritual. That is important to me. She is a scientist, so religion is difficult for her to wrap her brain around. I want her to be M's go-to person if she can't talk to me and I know that Lauren would always be there for her. That's what makes her such a great choice to me.
-
@MrsTiz: I am white and have godparents, too
LO's godparents are my sister and DH's brother. My sister is also the legal guardian should something happen to DH and I. Godparents are chosen when a child is baptized in the Catholic church.
-
@MrsTiz: I'm white and have Godparents, and every one I know does as well. Maybe it's more of a regional thing, but in the Midwest it is still happening.
-
Our LO will have Godparents, most likely DH's brother and sister in law. They will also be the legal guardians if something were to happen to both of us.
However, our next child will ahve different Godparents, but still have the legal guardians be the same as the first child.
My ideas on it, it is a person who you have a special bond with that is different than anythign else. I have two Godchildren, my niece and my best friend's daughter. I feel super close to both of them (2 and 1 in age.)
-
Godparents are entirely different from legal guardians, to me at least. We are Catholic (and white, if that matters
and I have godparents, and am my nephew's god mother. Assuming we baptize our children Catholic, they will have godparents. I know the first godmother would be my sister, but we aren't sure about godfather-- for Catholics, you have to be a confirmed Catholic "in good standing" in the church-- H's brothers (and H) were not confirmed, and my own brother is divorced and remarried. Like JessieJ017, our children would have different godparents, but the same legal guardians.
-
I'm white and was baptized in a methodist church and also have godparents.
LO will be baptized catholic probably and have godparents. -
LO will have godparents... most likely my brother and then we'll go from there with future LOs.
-
We are white and Protestant and have god parents. When we baptized my oldest I picked my cousin and his wife. He was adopted an so was my son. He was so supportive of us and I wanted to honor m cousin. He has since stopped talking to me and my family so I am not really expecting him to play any rol in my children's life. My other three children have my sister and brother in law as god parents
Thy are completely different from legal guardians. sometimes people will name the godparents the legal guardians but yo would have to have th documentation especially If the god parents are friends and not family.
-
@Foodnerd81: You are correct, godparents are not legal guardians unless you put it in a legal document such as your will.
DS has godparents, my brother and one of my best friends. He was baptized at 6 months. It was important to me that his godparents were people that he would be able to talk to about anything while he's growing up and that should anything happen to me, remember to tell him about me.
LO's godparents are my sister and DH's brother. My sister is also the legal guardian should something happen to DH and I. Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
17 comments