About being a Godmother?

Question

Rity o!

Got a question..

Im having a baby and thinking of Godparents and stuff.

If i get my baby christened or anything, i'm going to leave that till he or she is older. The thing is though, can i still choose Godparents.

I've got a friend who will be 17 when babys born ( she's like a sister to me ) and was just wondering if theres like any age limit on a Godparent because i'd love her to be a godparent, but thought id ask for advice before asking her.

I no untill babys christened in the furure that it won't be like authorised or anything and then my friend will be a lot older.

Can anyone help me please..

Thank you :)

Just want to add, the babys next of kin would be different to who i chose for a godmother so god forbid, if anything did happen to me, i'd have down the babys dad for the next of kin.

Answer 1

I was a godparent at 13 and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I don't think age matters.

What does matter to the church is the faith of that person. I was asked if I was baptised into the Church of Scotland, I had to be, in order to be Nicholas's godmother - since he was being baptised in the same church

Personally I was a bit offended by the question cause I don't think organised religion matters, it how you treat others that counts. I felt like being a bit cheeky and saying 'I just converted to Catholisim last weekend and before that I was a muslim'. But if I did that I knew I would have no chance in being a Godparent.

My own godparents who go to the CofS were asked to be godparents to my adoptive uncle's first daughter - they had to be Catholic - but my uncle just lied to the preist (ha ha!) They don't check these things - so it is always an option.

Terrible..I'm a godmother encouging people to lie! No honestly...your pal sounds ideal. My Godmother is like a big sister to me and I can tell her anything...I am godmother to her son. I have been for nearly 14 years...he is like a little brother to me...and I love spoiling him rotten, which is what Godmothers are for!

So go for it

Answer 2

I personally, wouldn't have a 17 y/o be my baby's godmother. I understand she might be your good friend, but at 17, very few people are mature enough to handle the responsibility of a baby. What if you died a few months after the baby was born? How is this person, who doesn't have a career, or a stable home, going to care for your child?

Even if she is the most mature person alive...when she's ready to go to school, where would your baby go? Work full time (same question)? What about when she's ready to settle down and have her own family? Will that displace your sweet one?

I would look for an older, more stable/settled woman/couple to raise your child in the event that something tragic happens to you.

While your friend might have the best of intentions, most 17 year olds won't be able to accurately tell you how they will feel or what opinions about life they will have in the years to come.

Just my (never to be) humble opinion!

Good luck to you.

Answer 3

A godmother has nothing to do with raising a child if something were to happen to the parents. A god parent is someone that assumes the obligation of religious training if the parents are unable to. In the unlikely event that something would happen to you or the child's father, the next of kin usually gets custody. If you do not want that, you need to have a will stating your wishes.
In the event that something only happend to you, the childs father would then be responsible for the child.

Answer 4

Check with the regulations of your church. My Uncle/Godfather was 15 when I was baptized in the Roman Catholic church. He was obviously unmarried and my Godmother is my aunt from the other side of my family. She was over 18 but she was also unmarried.
I think the only requirement in the Catholic church is that the Godparents must have been confirmed. In the church I grew up in that was at 15 years old but at one time they did it at 13.

edited to add:
People are confusing Godparents with guardians (unless some religions see it differently). My son's Godparent's are my sister and my husband's brother and neither of them will be named as guardians should anything happen to myself or my husband. Godparents are to help guide the child through his or her spiritual education.

Answer 5

I think you are confusing the role of Godparents and legal guardians.
In Christian churches godparents promise to take care of a child's christian education. Legally appointed guardians look after financial affairs in the event of a parent or parent's death.This would be arranged by a lawyer in a will.
Godparents can be any age. I am close to my Godson and was 16 when he was christened. My children all have godparents who were young initially. The one who was a bad choice is the one who does not go to church herself.

Answer 6

there is no age requirement, but you need to think of what is best for the baby. If something happened to you and you were incapacitated for a long period of time and needed someone to care for the baby, how would a 17 year old do that. A godparent needs to be financially stable in case they are ever called upon to care for the child. And in the case of this person being 17 it seems like that might be unfair to her too, it sounds like a nice thing to her, but if anything happened to you, the baby would be a burden to her.

Answer 7

No, your Godmother has no legal rights or authority over you. Nor does your Aunt or any other family member (other than your mother/father). Your mother can give someone else permission to take you someplace, but..if AI requires that you have a parent or legal guardian present, then that’s Mom/Dad.

Answer 8

Sometimes, letting go seems like the easiest thing to do. But think about this: you've invested so much of your time and energy into another person; you've made a solemn promise; and you still know there's love, even if it's hiding underneath the surface. This website will show you how to save a marriage and avoid divorce, even if you're the only one trying https://tr.im/VtHvK

Answer 9

As a parent my godparents all had to be christened. At my friends christening for her little boy her sister wasn't christened and to be the babies godmother she was christened the day before

Answer 10

I believe the age is determined by your Church. Unwed parents might be frowned upon also -- talk to your pastor. Since having Godparents is basically a Christian thing, you probably don't even have to think about this until they are christened.