What do you expect from a godfather?

[UnquietDad]

I am "godfather" to some very close friends' DS, who is a little younger than my own DS.

I put it in inverted commas because, as a godless heathen (and proud of it) I wasn't allowed to be a godfather at the christening but was announced as one after (which was fine with me).

What sort of thing do you expect your children's godparents to do, if they are not providing a "religious/spiritual" context? I always give him a birthday present and play games with him and all the usual stuff. Our children are quite close anyway, so we'd probably be doing all that stuff even if I wasn't a godfather.

DH seems to have made it his role to ensure his godson knows all about football, and has taken him to his first match etc.

I think it is enough to be generous with your time, and take an interest in what the child is up to.

fuck.all

We had our DS named rather than christened as we couldn't agree on the religion he should be so he has Supporting Adults rather than Godparents. I guess the name says it all really. We expect and hope they will be a constant presence in his life and be supportive when he needs it. An adult he can talk to when he feels he can't talk to his mummy and daddy for whatever reason.

My dd's godfather is my sisters husband. What do I expect of him? Erm... just to make her feel part of his family. To help her out. As it is, he is coach of the team she trains for and he comes here on Saturdays and helps her out with her bat & ball skills.

My ds godfather is my brother. So far he's hardly seen ds [who is 2&half] But he is a great fella so I was hoping his maturity & sensibility would come into play in influencing ds when he is older.

As it is though, dd's godfather has input for both of my kids, he is our BIL & lives 10 mins away. He is also named as their guardian along with my sister (for both kids) if anything happens to DH & I.

I think what you're doing is fine actually. I wouldn't expect more than some attention tbh.

my husband is a godfather too, to a mate's 2 children. Doesn't really do much, but I make sure that the girsl get birthday and christmas presents, I send them something little for Easter and Valentine's Day, and something during the school holidyas - might be somethign little like a book and stickers, or some gel pens. We'd be doing that even without the godfather title. They don't live closeby at all, we skype and call a fair bit

Long black coat, violin case, horses head on pillow...

Ah, may have misunderstood thread.

Horse Heads in Beds
Drooling when speaking in dodgy, husky, Italian accent
Always being immaculately dressed in black suit and white shirt with black tie and of course looking like Andy Garcia or Al Pacino.

If not you are shite Godfather!!

god, that sounds v materialistic what I've written
girls are v vyoung at the moment, but hope to have lovely relatoins hop like others have mentioned as they grow up. laying foundatiosn nwo of cousre!

Sounds like you're doing fine to me - accepted social norms round here range from a book token every birthday to taking them to see football / cricket / rock bands etc up to and including sponsoring their application for membership at Lords and lending them the yacht for a week .

The fact you see him and spend time with him and continue to do so is the clincher - you may find you come into your own when he's a bit older and needs a non-parent mentor-type person.

custardo - FA is what you expect, or what you have had?

They are our friends anyway and were for years pre-children, so we're always going to keep seeing them!

if not strictly religious, then you would expect a Godparent to provide a good moral and ethical example to the child and as others have said , ensure you remain a fixed presence in their life.

i think it sounds like you're doing fine too, dh & i don't expect anymore than that from our brothers & sisters who are godparents, also agree with mrsb re helping them when they are older.

Wish i was a godparent

what i expect. to turn up say their bits wear sommat nice, not get too shit faced at the do afterwards.

i would rather they didn't have any input into my childs spiritual wellbeing thank you very much

when we got dd2 christened, dp was very definite in what he wanted.

We are not particularly religious, although it was important to us to get her christened.

Dp wanted people who could tell her what he was like, if he should die before she is old enough to remember him for herself. So he chose people who know him very well, and are articulate enough to convey him to her if he shouldn't be here.

We don't get presents off them, and she has only met them a handful of times, but she knows they are there should she need them, and they know that she is potentially someone that they need to spend time with in the future.