to want to sack the godparents?

[gotonenow]

Hello everybody and happy Christmas (belated)! So, I was just wondering about Godparents. This is the situation. I was never bothered about our kids having them. I have always thought that they would probably have adults in their life apart from us but I couldn't predict now who they would be and selecting individuals as godparents wouldn't necessarily mean that those people turned out to be the important ones. Are you with me? We are also not Christian and the kids aren't Christened. However, as it turns out the Godparents have largely turned out to crap in most directions but particularly in the one area where they might have made an effort when the kids are young which is, I guess, giving presents. And having not wanted them in the first place I am now surprisingly hurt about that! I don't know why but I am taking it very personally indeed! Am I being unreasonable about this?

[charliesmommy]

How can your kids have godparents if they arent christened?

[GypsyMoth]

why do you have 'godparents' if they arent even christened????

godparents are to help the godchildren grow up within their religion....

i'm confused!!

[GypsyMoth]

you are upset some random adults are not showering your dc with presents???

[TheMonster]

They aren't godparents if you aren't religious in some form.

[methsdrinker]

Hi your post is a bit confused. How can you have god parents if the children aren't christened.

[2rebecca]

The role of godparents is to instruct your child in the Christian religion. And... that's it.
All the other stuff is optional extras. If your kids haven't been Christened though they won't have godparents in any meaningful sense.

[rubyslippers]

YABU

You sound upset because the godparents you have for your NON christened children haven't bought them gifts

[wigglesrock]

Agree with other posters, how can you have godparents if the baby isn't christened Are they not just friends.

[taintedsnow]

Well since your DC aren't christened, they don't have Godparents, so there's no one to sack.

Secondly, you might want to give a bit more detail because at the moment you sound like a materialistic grasper, and I want to believe you're not....

Cutting people out of your DC's lives because they haven't given presents? Shame shame shame on you.

[Georgimama]

If you wanted godparents who would shower your children with expensive gifts, first you needed to have befriended Elton John (too late now, he's got one of his own) and second you needed to have them christened.

HTH.

[Fibonacci]

What a lot of sanctimonious tosh has been written on this thread. It's perfectly acceptable nowadays for non-religious parents to choose godparents for their children, just as it's OK for them to celebrate Christmas and Easter and other non-Christian holidays. While it might have been strictly religious in the past, throughout my life the role of the godparents has become on to offer additional adult help and guidance in life in general, if needed, and to buy Christmas presents - YANBU.

[saffy85]

I don't understand your predicament tbh. Your DC aren't christened so they have no godparents to sack. The purpose of godparents isn't to buy presents they're meant to look after a person's spiritual wellbeing. And stuff.

Basically you want to sack your mates for not buying a few poxy gifts for your DC. How strange.

[taintedsnow]

Fib, you think the OP is reasonable for wanting to cut people out for not buying her children presents? Really?!

[Fibonacci]

From Wikipedia: Traditionally, godparents were informally responsible for ensuring the child's religious education was carried out, and for caring for the child should it be orphaned. Today, the word godparent might not have explicitly religious overtones. The modern view of a godparent tends to be an individual chosen by the parents to take an interest in the child's upbringing and personal development

[GypsyMoth]

fibo.....surely you would invent a new name then.....take the god bit out??

how about 'giftparents'? are they used for any other purpose as well as present buying then? these non-religious godparents?

[Georgimama]

Indeed. And buying stuff has got what to do with that?

[NinkyNonker]

Godparents is the clue.

[GypsyMoth]

lol...chosen by the parents....someone needs to tell these adults that they have been 'chosen' i think!!!

[WimpleOfTheBallet]

I have never heard of anyone who adheres to the tradition in the terms as described in Wiki!

A God Parent is just that! Otherwise it should be called a "Friend parent"!

[TheMonster]

giftparents!!

[2rebecca]

I don't see the point of nonreligious godparents. I'm an atheist so my kids aren't christened. The people who buy them presents are the people who care about them, mainly relatives, plus my best friend. These are the people who will offer them help and guidance in life if need be. As your friendships change during your life I think allocating your friends a lifelong present buying role if non religious is a bit strange. If my friend and I fall out we won't have contact with each other's children so continuing to buy presents would be a bit odd.

[Fibonacci]

she didn't say anything about cutting people out - she said she wanted to 'sack' them as godparents, doesn't mean they won't continue to be family friends, maybe she knows other people now who she thinks would do a better job.

I think good gift-giving is a key role of godparenting. and I was happy to be a godparent from birth to someone who wasn't baptised until they were 16 !

[allnightlong]

WTF 'sacking' pretend godparents because they aren't any good in gift giving. Fuck me I've heard it all now!

YABVU

[ShoshanaBlue]

Ah, so not really a godparent, just an 'auntie' in the sense of 'someone who plays bingo with me mam'.

Tell her that her presents are bobbins and no more bingo. Problem solved.

[FrostyAndSlippery]

I've heard non-religious godparents being referred to as 'mentors' if that helps.