Is it unusual to have no godparents?

[windmills88]

Do your children have godparents and if so, who are they and how many? Do most kids have godparents or is it quite unusual these days?

I wasn't planning to have any for our first child and wasn't going to have a christening either, but DH is keen - even though we're not religious.

I'm just wondering what most people do really!

DH and I have godparents, though our parents are not religious.

We had a naming day for our DS and he has 'guardians'. I actually call them godparents, but essentially people who love him to look out for him.

That could be an option if you're not religious.

Mine have as they were christened. 2 of the godparents are no longer in our lives. If you are not religious and don't plan to raise your child as religious then don't mock the religion by christening your child.

I'm baffled at posters who have mentioned not having godparents, but mentioned naming people in their will to care for their children if they die. The 2 are not connected. A godparents role is not to take over parenting if the parents die We have nominated someone to have our kids if we die - not godparents to any of them.

I was christened and have god parents who I haven't even seen or spoke to since being a very young child.

Neither of my boys are christened so have no god parents .

It's a bit judgy but I don't get why people who don't go to church get their kids baptised at all

somebody stood in for them which was possible apparently

Ours have the equivalent of Godparents, as in significant adults that were recognised at the children’s naming ceremonies (we’re not religious) Each of our dc have 4, two male, two female. They’re entirely separate to the official ‘who’d look after them if we died/couldn’t look after them anymore’ people though.

I'm baffled at posters who have mentioned not having godparents, but mentioned naming people in their will to care for their children if they die. The 2 are not connected. A godparents role is not to take over parenting if the parents die grin We have nominated someone to have our kids if we die - not godparents to any of them.

No need to be baffled.

It's quite simple, your DC are christened because you are religious, they have god parents, and the role traditionally is to help guide the DC in the religion.

Other people are not religious, so they don't want anyone to guide their DC in a religion. For them Odd/Guide parents fulfill a different role, one to guide the DC through life, to be an important person in that child's life, and in a lot of cases those significant people will also be the person(s) the parents have nominated to bring up their children if they die.

So different roles, but not exactly hard to understand, certainly not baffling unless you are willfully misunderstanding to try and make a point

thanks for making this point @SheerPlums, also different cultures, different expectations, influence the traditional/official religious godparent sponsor role...