My family have started calling DD this and I really don’t like it

[cakepasta]

My family have started calling DD Floater and I really don’t like it. It started at a family lunch a few weeks ago when she was playing with one of those little inflatable rings and my brother called her it as a joke. Now it’s stuck and everyone seems to think it’s hilarious.

My family have always had daft nicknames for each other tbf. I’ve got one my brother still calls me which I’ve never liked, but it’s just what he’s always called me. This feels different though because she’s only little and I don’t want it turning into something people say about her when she’s older.

My brother says it doesn’t mean anything and keeps going “where’s our little Floater then” whenever he sees her. My mum and sister have started saying it too now. I know they aren’t trying to be nasty but it just sounds like they’re taking the piss out of her appearance to me. She’s got quite chubby cheeks at the moment and I can imagine other kids picking up on it when she starts school.

At the weekend we were all at my mum’s for lunch and he said it about four times. I asked him to stop calling her that and he just laughed and said I was being ridiculous. My mum then said I was being precious and that DD won’t even remember it. I felt a bit stupid because everyone was looking at me like I’d made a massive deal out of nothing.

DP thinks I’m overthinking it as well. He says she’s too young to understand what it means and it’ll probably just stop being used eventually. I said that’s not really the point though, I don’t want it becoming her nickname in the first place. He thinks I’m making it into something it isn’t.

I’m not against nicknames generally, we call her Flo most of the time anyway and she has a few other little ones that are just cute things she’s done. I just don’t like this one and don’t think it’s particularly nice.

My sister messaged me afterwards saying I should just let it go because it’s affectionate and nobody means anything by it. I haven’t replied yet because I don’t really know what to say without sounding like I’m having a go at everyone.

AIBU to ask them to stop calling her it? Would you actually mind this or am I being a bit precious?

Yanbu floater sounds like she leaves giant poos in the toilet

Who would EVER want to be called the word for a turd that won't go down?

How will anyone at school find out ?

@cakepasta Floater is a drowned person who is floating. It's really horrible as a nickname.

You to advocate for your daughter, it’s difficult cause it sounds like you’ve been criticised for doing for yourself before.

This is poor advice.

Ignore it and they'll continue to do so. You're not raising children here - you are expressing a clear boundary with adults. If it 'sticks around' when you've told them not to repeat it then you don't socialise with them anymore.

I would hate that too. My ds1 hates nicknames and prefers to be called by his full name only. I always say I don't mind when people ask if they want them to call me by a shortened version of my name. Which means the people who use the shortened version are my mum, one of my sisters, my BIL and my son's geography teacher!

the only person making this about her name it you. why would floating have anything to do with the fact you think your child is chubby?? I mean if he called her Lead Weight or Sinker maybe but given she's a Florence or Flo anyway, you're being absurd.

it isn't that you can't dislike a nickname or want to control what people call her, it's that you're clearly projecting something into your little girl that exists it in your head.

I would just start calling each of them wan, fuer etc and just say it’s cute. I think that’s the way to get your point across. I would be furious that they are doing this. Flo is very much a shortened term for a beautiful name and not associated with 💩

Immediately thought poo. Continue shutting them down.

Sorry you have to !

she's old enough to say "not my name, I'm Flo" or something similar, even "no, me Flo!" . At 3 she's absolutely old enough to have an opinion on it - does she respond to it? cry? smile? if she doesn't like it, empower her to ignore them when they use it.

Floater is worse than bloater imo. I’d rather be a fat person than a PoS?

I wouldn’t lol about it. Tell your brother exactly how you feel about your nickname and how support it has made you your whole life and you don’t want that for your DD. Tell then
about the poo connotation.

I agree with others, every time someone uses it pick DD up and leave. You’ll probably come across as unreasonable to them but who cares, advocate for her, don’t put it up with it and they’ll stop

That is a really horrible nick name for a small child, your brother is a world class bully and he is bullying you and your child. Tell him that your little girl is not a turd floating in the toilet and express horror and outrage that the family could enable him in using such an insult. You have been bullied by this lot for too long.