 (Nick Galifianakis for The Post) | Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: We are planning to name our first child, due in a couple of months, Samuel. It's a timeless name and most people probably have multiple associations with it (i.e. it's not Madonna or Rihanna). It is also a family name on both sides, belonging to my father-in-law, with whom we have a close relationship, and my late grandfather and several other relatives we love. We like the name, too. We aren't announcing it until he is born. The issue is that my in-laws divorced nearly a decade ago, and my mother-in-law has never gotten over it. She is still sad and confused about the divorce, which he initiated. She has built a very nice life for herself but struggles to move on emotionally; she has refused requests from her children that she seek counseling. In the context of another new baby in the family recently, she said she hoped they wouldn't use Samuel. (They didn't.) We love my mother-in-law and still do not want to change the name. My husband and I are both prepared to listen to her feelings if/when she needs to express them. Are we total [jerks] for choosing this name? — Am I the [Jerk], Baby-Name Edition | 
No comments:
Post a Comment