My boyfriends family keep calling my daughter by other names..?

Question

My daughter is 16months old. I work everday teaching her new words (she was a very well vocab inculding thank you and welcome) here is my issue.. Her name is Emily, my future in-laws and family call her Emmie and it drives me nuts. It takes the same amount of effort to say Emily as Emmie... I want her to learn her correct name. Am I being ridiculous by feeling this way? How can I go about this in a nice way?

Thank you everyone for your feed back. I don't want to come of a psycho. I am a frist time mom and I just want my daughter understand her name, because sometimes I call I feel she dosen't answer. I agree it's nice that she has nickname, it's just that I want to responed when I call her. But, as many of you pointed out your children have had pet names and they didn't forget themselves. Thanks again!

Answer 1

I understand your feelings, my son's name is michael and lots of people call him mike . It bugs me. They call him mikey and lately they call him Michelle (jokely of course in fun). It bothered me when they call him by any other thing than michael. My son 12 finally said to me a few months ago, mom it is okay I know I am Michael to you but I like when other people use different versions of my name.
It gives them a special feeling that the other people cared enough to come up with something special for them. I dont call him mike, or mikey, Sometimes I pick on him and say Michelle with we are playing around but he know he is michael always to mom.

my parents had a nickname for me no where near my name- pumkin, boo boo, baby huey(long story lol) ect.

This is somewhere I wouldn't make a big deal there are far more important issues that will come up to let this bother you.
I promise you she will know her name.

Answer 2

A lot of families go through this. It seems like not matter what you name your kid, even if you think there are no nick names for it, someone will come up with one. You're not being ridiculous at all by felling this way. I went through the same thing with my sons. She should be called by her FULL FIRST name until she is able to say it herself, at whatever age that may be. Not only so she knows her own name, but so she's able to tell other's her name. Emmie can be a nickname for Emma & Emily (and I'm sure others), and yes that's only two choices, but God for bid she gets lost or anyone needs to know her name, she won't have anybody guessing when she says Emmie. You'll see as her vocab grows and she learns to speak more and more, she'll start attempting and refering to herself as Emily. I had a problem with my son Steven b/c my husband's family was contantly calling him Stevie. So what did he refer to himself as? Evie.
Just simply explain that youre not again nicknames, but you just want her to know, constantly hear and eventually start calling herself Emily before she hears any nicknames. It's not a big deal if they call her Emmie every once and a while, but as family and out of respect, I'm sure they'll understand.
Best wishes! =]

Answer 3

Just politely tell them that at her young age she can't understand that Emmie is short for Emily, tell them you want her to learn her own given name before she learns nicknames. My five year old is named William and when he was a baby and toddler we all called him William, it's been the last couple years we've started calling him Will. My best friend also has a girl named Emily, and they didn't start calling her Emmie until last year when she turned 3. You just have to tell your future in laws that as her mother you want her to be called Emily and for them not to call her Emily is disrespectful. If you get along with them there should be no problem. You also need to get your boyfriend to be with you and ensure his parents that he agrees with you and they should call her Emily until she is older.

Answer 4

I think maybe you're being a tad bit ridiculous here... not a lot, but she isn't going to have long-term confusion by being called an affectionate nickname. My son is four, his name is Sean Colin, he goes by Colin, and he's known the difference for years. He knows they're both his names, he knows when he starts a new class at preschool, or he goes to the doctor, he'll be called "Sean".

"Emmie" is a lot closer to "Emily" than "Sean" is to "Colin", so I really really really don't think your boyfriend's family is causing her any harm. It's a nickname. Millions of babies are given affectionate nicknames early on. Most of them learn their real name at some point.

Except for Serendipity. My son was in a class with a girl named Serendipity, and she went by Serin. She was five years old before she found out her middle name was not "Dippity".

But most kids -- no problem.

If it really bothers you, though, simply ask that they call her Emily. Just say it nice.

But they're likely to look at you like you've got a bug up your butt if you say something.

Seriously, try to keep in mind that most likely what they've done is christened her with an affectionate nickname. The moron up above who said they clearly don't want you in their family is insane. If they didn't want you in their family, they would refer to your child as "it", not give her her own appropriate (it's appropriate, whether you like it or appreciate it or not) nickname. It's sweet. I would STRONGLY suggest you consider that before you say something to them. Is bringing this up important enough to you to risk offending them?

Answer 5

slightly you are but I soo see your point! she is at the early stages of development and needs to know her name not a nick name!
If this bugs you then you need to express this to your soon to be family!
just pull them aside say something like!
You know that is cute you giving emily a nick name of emmie! however right now i want to ensure she knows her real name and I know it may seem slightly petty and childish of me but this is what i want for MY child can you comply?

This way you are making them feel suppriore and your not so much of a demanding not to do it! your not really putting yourself down but you are to a point that the other party will not feel too offended when you talk to them!

Hope it all works how but if you hide how you feel no one will ever know and you will keep this will you alone no one else but you!
in the long run it's not worth the hard feels be honest and express how you feel!

Answer 6

If you have a good relationship with your in-laws, you should speak up. If you are concerned of offending them, maybe your boyfriend will address the issue.

Really, you need to pick you battles and decide if this is one worth picking. Emily will know her name regardless what people call her. It sounds like there is other issues going on, is that far to say?

Good Luck and stand up for your beliefs!

Answer 7

My father's family always called me "Brandi" and my name is "Brianda" - I always liked it...because no one else gave me a nickname. I felt when they called me by their special pet name for me I was connected to them in a special way - The other two children were called by their regular names.
It means she's endeared to them in a way that you shouldn't be offended by. They just love her and give her a sweet name they can call her to make it all that much more special.
Don't be upset. Wait until she's thirteen and wants to change her name - then let fire from both barrels.

Answer 8

Let your in-laws call her Emmie. If she ever calls herself Emmie, you just say, "Your name is Em-i-ly. Emmie is only what your grandparents call you. That's just their special name for you." Then it can be a little pet name she always can associate with them. It can be a good thing, a bonding thing for them.

My grandparents mispronounced my name my entire life, and while it annoyed my parents, I always think of my grandparents (who have passed) whenever I hear someone else called that.

Answer 9

No, you are perfectly in your right as a mother in my opinion, talk to you boyfriend and ask him to talk to his parents about it this way it doesn't look like you are coming across like some crazy person. People do this to me my sons name is Harrison and people in my family want to call him Harry and I DON'T want that, if I wanted people to call him Harry I would have named him Harry, now saying that if in the future he WANTS to be called Harry then so be it, but for now. Sorry about the tangent but you get my point!

Answer 10

That would drive me nuts as well. My daughter's name is Isabella, and we call her Bella, but my mother in law insists on calling her "Izzie" which is the one nickname my husband and I really hate. I just politely asked her to please call her Bella or Isabella. I would do the same for your in laws, just explain you really want her addressed as Emily and her not to have a nickname.

Good luck!!