Naming can be an issue that needs deciding on quite early on. If you're a new stepmum, what should the kids call you? This is something for you and your OH/DH to discuss. It's usually best not to let the kids call you Mummy even if they start doing it naturally - as a BM can get quite upset and offended by this. Despite the fact a BM will often allow the kids to call a Stepdad "Dad".
It also doesn't feel right to some, to have the kids calling you by your Christian name and that doesn't alway reflect your position in the family either. Some of this will depend on the age of the children, but many people choose a nickname that distinguishes them as a parenting role and not just another adult.
It can take some thinking about. It could be a variation on your name or a completely made up name. It could be ending in y - if the parents are Mummy and Daddy, which makes it sound like another parenting name. Some people have a mixture of a nickname and "Mum". Eg Effy-Mum. Generally though a nickname works well.
What did you decide on with your stepkids? My SS was very young when I came on the scene and kept calling me Mummy. In fact he called everyone Mummy at the time! As our EFH was already quite hostile to my existence we didn't want to cause further aggro so chose a nickname that sounded like a combination of my name and Mummy. And after saying the name to him a few times he got it and it gave me my identity in the family.
EFH kept trying to get him to call me by my Christian name and telling him I am not family
It also doesn't feel right to some, to have the kids calling you by your Christian name and that doesn't alway reflect your position in the family either. Some of this will depend on the age of the children, but many people choose a nickname that distinguishes them as a parenting role and not just another adult.
It can take some thinking about. It could be a variation on your name or a completely made up name. It could be ending in y - if the parents are Mummy and Daddy, which makes it sound like another parenting name. Some people have a mixture of a nickname and "Mum". Eg Effy-Mum. Generally though a nickname works well.
What did you decide on with your stepkids? My SS was very young when I came on the scene and kept calling me Mummy. In fact he called everyone Mummy at the time! As our EFH was already quite hostile to my existence we didn't want to cause further aggro so chose a nickname that sounded like a combination of my name and Mummy. And after saying the name to him a few times he got it and it gave me my identity in the family.
EFH kept trying to get him to call me by my Christian name and telling him I am not family
Or adding M onto the front of your own name, if it starts with a vowel.
