Calling Divorced Parents
By Bytemi
@Bytemi (1553)
United States
August 28, 2008 10:38am CST
I recently got remarried and changed my name. My daughter of course still has her fathers last name which is now different than mine. When I go places with her like school or the doctor, people are still calling me by my old name and I think it upsets my husband a little.
Has anyone been in this situation before? How did you handle it?
2 responses
@SViswan (12051)
• India
29 Aug 08
I've retained my maiden name. My husband has a different surname and our son's just have an initial that is the beginning alphabet of their father's first name. To add to the confusion, my surname starts with the same alphabet.
So, there is a lot of confusion especially at places like the school. But just correct them and say, 'This is my surname..not....'.
It took 5 years for me to correct the school Principal who always assumed that the second part of my son's first name was my surname (the rest of the teacher's knew what it was because we have to fill a personal information form every year)...but the Principal never listened when I tried to correct her...till I joined the school as a teacher!
1 person likes this
@SViswan (12051)
• India
30 Aug 08
I understand because I used to feel the same way.....because it was natural to mistake people from the same family to have the same surname. But I also realized that if I didn't correct them, they would be under the wrong impression and that confused my son too. When necessary, I do explain that my surname is my maiden name (I think that's easier to explain than a divorce and remarriage).
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
28 Aug 08
Your husband needs to stop being so sensative. I've been in the same situation many times over the years and the only thing you can do is to smile and correct the person. If it bothers your husband that much he should stay home.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
28 Aug 08
I normally just say something like that and add what my correct name is. It's not so unusual these days for a child to have a different last name from the parent so it shouldn't cause any embarassment to anyone. 
1 person likes this
