Changing my name back to maiden name post divorce - are there any negative consequences in having a different surname to my daughter?

[mug2018]

Since divorcing my ExH I cringe each time I need to use my married surname.
The only reason I've kept my married name is because I always thought it would cause complications having a different surname to my DD. However, the more I think about it the more I want to do it, but I'd be interested to know if anybody with children changed their name back & now have a different surname to their kids. Did it cause any problems?
My DD is 14 & has no concern about me changing my name.
Thoughts & experiences would be greatly received 😊

Changed mine 3 years ago and no issues. I do take birth certificates / marriage and divorce paperwork with me on holidays abroad so I can prove they are my kids at passport control, but that's not a big deal

I have a different surname to my children (I did not change my name when I married, the children have my husband's surname). No problems at all. You just say 'Hi, I'm Anna MyName, Billy Kids Name's mum'. No one has ever commented or even looked surprised. I'm happy to answer to 'Mrs KidsName' occasionally - if I were precious about never being called that then I guess it would be a minor problem.

As your child is 14 then I can’t see it being a problem. The only not issue would have been holidays if they were little - it can cause some to question at passports.

@PosiePerkinPootleFlump .. thank you. when you travel are you routinely asked for your documentation or do you volunteer it? Just wondering what to anticipate

I have never had the same name as my DC’s, no issues at all. I put name and (Mother) in brackets on all forms where it doesn’t ask for relationships to clarify for new teachers etc…

I offered birth certificate to pp control twice because dd has a different name and different nationality to me. First time the lady looked so relieved, second time she looked at me, then the baby, then back at me and said no youre alright. But dd was less than a year both times. Id imagine with a child old enough to speak there wouldnt be such an issue.

I didn’t change my name, DC have DH name, never caused any issues.

I do occasionally write (DC’s mum) after my name in emails to the school just so it’s obvious. Not because there’s ever been any issue I’m just trying to make their life easier!

Have travelled with DC alone and had no issues. Never taken any special documents and never been asked for any. Though it may help that my middle name (unusual family name) is also their middle name.

You’ll need to take her birth certificate when travelling with her to prove you’re her mother.

My kids are 11 and 14, we’ve never had the same name and it has never once been an issue; I do travel with a permission letter from their father but I’ve never once been asked to show it

Every school form requires you to Star your relationship to the child so that’s a non issue too

As another poster said I have occasionally been referred to by the school as mrs child’s-name but it doesn’t bother me; elsewhere, for example the opticians recently, I find people tend to ask if you have the same name nowadays rather than assume

Thank you all for your responses. I'm doing it & feel such a sense of relief about it 😊

It should be fine as she’s older now, younger could be a bit of an issue, in 2 years she could change hers if she wanted to 🤷‍♀️

I have always had a different surname. When we flew, occasionally I was asked to provide a letter from his father stating I was his mother and allowed to take him on holiday. Apart from that, nothing else was an issue.

I changed back. The only thing I've had trouble with is my mortgage and deeds for the house. And actually the only reason I've had a problem is because of the ridiculous covid opening hours the bank operates so I have never had a time I could go into the branch with my ID. Presumably I'll need to do that first before changing the house title deeds.

I also have not changed my passport. I still have another 4 or 5 years left on it and it'll probably just be easier to have the same name both my kids do on their passports.

I've changed my job since and it feels great knowing my colleagues have only ever known me as my original, non married surname.