Changing the numbers was done at no cost to us, and while the interview in office did involve some time and many questions, the process was not difficult. There’s no need to wait until he’s “older” to tell him; he can learn about his name change as he learns his adoption story. What I Learned From my #morethanatissue Challenge. I texted the adoption worker quickly before I lost my nerve. One his birth mother lovingly gave him. Why do I always do this to myself? Under 16 Years Old It turns out that changing the name of a minor child in Illinois may be more complicated than most people realize. A: For a very young child, a name change will not be a major interruption. Q: Iâm adopting three children from foster care. I have encouraged them to keep their first names, but would like us to all have the same last name as a way of connecting us as a new family. not have changed your child’s family name in the past 12 months. You can keep the name given at birth. I just had to pick a name and go with it. Please check your e-mail inbox. It works for us, and we believe each child is differnt so you do have to feel that part out. It sounds a little selfish as I look at it written on the screen, but itâs true. Thank you for subscribing to the Adoptive Families newsletter. Your email address will not be published. But when children are 2 and up, it can be more complicated. A petitioner in a child's case could be one or both parent (s) or legal guardian (s). Itâs not bad, just not one that feels likeâ¦us. As for him, itâs been surprisingly easy for him to catch on. I have unrealistic expectations of what a SAHM of 3 should be, and I'm always biting off more than I can chew. They felt she would need that tie to feel connected later in life. Thereâs no need to wait until heâs âolderâ to tell him; he can learn about his name change as he learns his adoption story. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. He has likes and dislikes. So, if you are naming an infant after adoption, you have many options. Your first Adoptive Families newsletter will arrive within the week. Trying to imagine how all of these things would manifest themselves in adulthood was next to impossible. A: Encouraging older children to keep their first names is the right choice. Manual stop file checks must be conducted on any person with parental responsibility who consents to a child change of name or where a court order is provided to dispense with their consent. A friend emailed me this question recently. What if heâs angry or confused by our choice to change his name? Changing your name is a relatively simple procedure that can usually be done without a lawyer. That process can only be done through the … In the vast majority of cases, you will not be able to legally change your Child’s Surname (or any part of their name as it appears on the Birth Certificate) without the signed agreement of the other parent, or if you do not have the other parent’s signed agreement, then without obtaining an Order of the Court making Orders for the Child’s name to be changed. Not because Iâm sure it was the right choice, but because it feels like everything will be normal one day. Legal Name Change. Changing Your Child’s Name. The standard most courts apply when making decisions about changing a child’s name is that the change should be in the best interests of the child. Iâm not sure what I expected to find. Think about all the implications of changing a child's name before you go ahead. But sometimes, it rolls off my tongue like itâs always been that way. Name change! I was second-guessing every name we had on the very short list. I was flying blind. Thank you for signing up! Many of my friends who have adopted children internationally choose to give their children an American first name and keep the child’s original first name as the child’s middle name. I probably wouldnât have chosen that name. Sometimes, I feel like Iâm missing someone when Iâm doing that silent headcount moms do. If your child is 16 years of age or over (or approaching their 16th birthday), they must apply for their own Deed Poll for which parental consent is not required. You can keep the first name and change middle and last names. Our son, adopted at 16, chose to take our last name as a ritual of passage for attaching to our family. We had a very short list of potential names. Newborn, International, Special Needs/Waiting Child, International, Special Needs/Waiting Child, U.S. Ask AF: Transitioning Children to Calling Us âMomâ and âDadâ. Adoption! For personal use only. This would be his name forever. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. We were planning on changing it because heâs young enough that it would be a fairly easy transition for him, but now that it was down to the wire, I had some mega cold feet! Some people thought it made total sense, while others thought it was odd and were a bit shocked by the idea. Copyright © 1999-2020 Adoptive Families Magazine®. Whether you should change the name of your adopted foster child can be a hard decision. Oops. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Complications can arise depending on the child’s age and agreed parental responsibility. Talk about stress! Itâs done now. Ours. The 3 most common reasons for a name change are: When a person wants to return to a prior name after a dissolution of marriage (divorce). We thought we had a couple more months to decide, but she hastily told me I needed to know by the next morning at the latest. Changing a child's name is easiest if both parents file a petition together. A parent may prefer to change a child's name sometime after the birth certificate and records have been filed. Then we begin to introduce the new "special" name we have chosen just for them. A child’s legal name can easily be changed by Deed Poll providing everyone with parental responsibility (PR) for the child consents to the name change. Rules for changing your child’s names. When you adopt, you have the choice to change their name. Q: We are adopting a four-month-old boy from the foster care system and plan to change his birth name. Oh yeah, and I picked the name we originally picked months ago when we very first started talking about this potential conundrum, so all that panic was for nothing. Changing a Child’s Birth Certificate. Posted in Questions tagged adopt, adoption, foster care, name change at 2:56 am by cbgrace. (2) If it should happen that there has been a wrongful change of forename by a foster parent or carer, exceptionally it may be in the best interests of the child to allow the change to continue. All rights reserved. Advice on adopting a child. Should we disclose the change when heâs older? Each person seeking the child's name change is called a "petitioner." Heâs so smart and Iâm so proud to be his mom. I couldnât help but think about how God changed names all the time to symbolize a new beginning. The name change process varies from state to state. (1) No foster parent or carer, under whatever regulations, should unilaterally change the forename of a child. “If he’s a cool kid, this name would be cute.” “This name is cute if he’s gonna be a nerd.” “If he’s in drama club, this one’s good.” Like, HELLO! Changing a name doesnât erase the past â that healing comes in other forms. Ask AF: How to Ask My Children About Trauma in .. "I know that my children's birth siblings were abused by .. The reality is, I have no clue what he will be like or what heâll be into. He responds to his new name already after only a few days. A birth certificate name change in Florida requires a different form and process. For an Adopted Child, A Lot! The night of the final decision I really worked myself into a tizzy. A parent who wishes to seek a minor name change will have to work with the court system. The process to change your child’s name is pretty straightforward by deed poll or statutory declaration. Required fields are marked *. Newborn, U.S. Foster, International, Special Needs/Waiting Child, active){li-icon[type=linkedin-bug][color=inverse] .background{fill, Directory of Infertility & Adoption Providers, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse, Lutheran Family & Children’s Services of Missouri, Ask AF: Letting a Preteen Take the Lead in a Birth Parent Relationship, Ask AF: How to Cope with the Disappointment of Not Being Chosen by an Expectant Mother. Yes. 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