Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Does anybody else think this is important?

Kind of long........

I already have nephews and they call my parents Nanny and Grandpa because their other Grandparents already had names from other grandchildren. When we told my DH's parents we were prego we got MIL an I love Grandma bib, but nothing for FIL b/c I thought he would pick his name. Anyway he wants Grandpa b/c it goes with Grandma. I said no b/c it will be confusing for kids. We saw it with my nephews...it was easier for them to fig out who goes with who. Problem is FIL keeps pushing the issue and saying that there aren't any other names. I disagree there are tons of names but he is so controlling he wants Grandpa to match his wife.


WWYD? TIA

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

My DH's parents to all of their grandkids have been Grandpa Bob and Grandma Donna..my kid will be their 7th grandchild...that's what they tell them to call them...

My parents, this is their 1st grandchild and my mom wants Grandma and my dad wants Pop or Pop Pop I think

can yours do what my IL's do - Grandpa Bob for example?

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

I am failing to comprehend this on many levels.

when I was a kid, I had 3 grandmothers and 3 grandfathers.

they were known as

Grandpa John'
Grandpa Larry
Grandpa Arthur (step fathers mom's husband)

and

Grandma Florence
Grandma Helen
Grandma Isabel.

what helped us tell them apart and differentiate them was that they didn't look like each other.

my kids will call my mom Grandma and my MIL Abuela.

they will call their great-grandma's and great grandpas...Grandma Helen and Grandpa John.

Message edited 4/14/2009 11:41:51 AM.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

IMO you can try to teach your kids what to call their grandparents but they are going to call them what they want/can pronounce. My FIL wants to be called "grand dad" but I know that no child can pronounce this...

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

I think you should just let your FIL be called what he wants. It won't confuse the kids - my brother's kids have two grandmothers and they don't have a problem. Will be the same with mine.

You have to also think about the grandparent - it could be that they have been kind of dreaming about the day they would have grandkids and what they would call them. My dad wants to be grandpa, I think it has a lot of good memories for him with his own grandpa and he couldn't wait to be one himself. There's no way I could take that away from him.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Well, this is an annoying topic for me but opposite of what you are saying...my MIL thinks she is special and wants to be the only "grandma"...she thinks that since my mom and my SIL's mom were not born in america they should be called the foreign word for grandma...I think they should be called what they want and that she shouldn't be giving out orders...plus you don't know if your child can even say the word and may come up with some other idea...

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

My dad goes by Pappy to his nieces and nephews,( they live the south) and requested that we use that for him too. These are not his biological grandkids, but he has known them since birth and wants to keep the name for my children as well.
For my FIL , he can choose what he wants , DH is an only child so there isn't an issue there.


In your situation maybe come up with other suggestions for both your mom and dad instead of grandma and grandpa ? My step mother was Grammy instead of grandma, so maybe Grammy and Grandy? Find to alternative that " match" . He can still wear I love grandma bib, he is a baby and won't know the difference

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

My parents will be Nana & Papa which was established with my nephew (their first grandson)

My IL's will be Nanny & Gramps, established by our other 2 nephews (their 2 grandsons)

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

my Il's are nana and pop-pop

my parents are grandma and grandpa but my dd pronounces them as Bamma and papa

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

my friends dd calls her grandma's grandma coffee and grandma tea based on their hot beverage of choice

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

I understand what you are saying, but I think kids will call their grandparents whatever they want. When my newphew was born, my parents were going to be grammy and grandpa, thats what they watned to be called. Almost two years later they are Mi-Mi and Pop-Pop. We would have never in our lives guessed thats what they would be called. Just go with the flow, your children will know who is who.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

My parents will be called Yaya and Papou (greek) my MIL will be called grandma!

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

When I was little I called my grandparents, Babcia and Dziadzia (grandma and grandpa in Polish) on both sides. My family is 100% Polish and it meant something to them to be called this.

If any of our 's grandparents had a preference I would try to honor it, as long as it was appropriate and still some form of grandma or grandpa.

I would let your FIL use Grandpa if he wants it, your baby will be able to figure out who goes with who as they get a little older.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

my parents will be grandma and grandpa, my DH's parents are Oma and Pop pop.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Posted by DanandNette

When I was little I called my grandparents, Babcia and Dziadzia (grandma and grandpa in Polish) on both sides. My family is 100% Polish and it meant something to them to be called this.

If any of our 's grandparents had a preference I would try to honor it, as long as it was appropriate and still some form of grandma or grandpa.

I would let your FIL use Grandpa if he wants it, your baby will be able to figure out who goes with who as they get a little older.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

When I was growing up my mom's parents were Nanny and Grandpa and my Dad's parents were Grandma and Grandpa.

For our child I know DH parents will be Grandma and Pop.

I am pretty sure my mom will be Nanny, but not sure what my dad will be- probably Grandpa, Grampy- something along those lines.

My mom is actually so silly and has referred to herself as Fran-ma (my mom's first name is Fran) and Lou-Pa (my dad's name is Lou.) I thought this was kind of cute, personal and non-traditional, but I am more of a traditional person . . . .

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Posted by Nik211

Posted by DanandNette

When I was little I called my grandparents, Babcia and Dziadzia (grandma and grandpa in Polish) on both sides. My family is 100% Polish and it meant something to them to be called this.

If any of our 's grandparents had a preference I would try to honor it, as long as it was appropriate and still some form of grandma or grandpa.

I would let your FIL use Grandpa if he wants it, your baby will be able to figure out who goes with who as they get a little older.

im crashing - but my great grandparents were babcia and dziadzia too

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

My mom will prob be called grandma

but DH thinks baby should call
my mom grandma _______

and his parents
grandma _____
and grandpa _______


I think baby will get confused with two grandma names....baby will see my mom on a regular basis so baby should call his mom maybe something different.....i dont know

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Its very important to me. lol i dont know why. Growing up i called my Moms parents Nanny and Poppi, and for dads parents Grandma and Papa Sal.

My parents are gonna be called Nanna and Papa
My ILs want to be called Grandma and Grandpa.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

we were discussing this at easter and MIL said she wanted to be called nanny..im like no way..i dont know why b/c i never called my grandma nanny...it was grandma jane and grandma lina (dont know my mothers father and my dads dad passed away when i was a few months old.)

she said she would be ok with grammy and i think thats cute. I dont know..nanny sounds so old and our parents arent old.

my dad said he wants to be called grandpa nitro (he's a pyromaniac.) Umm...no.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

IL's Nanny and Poppa
My parents Grandma and Grandpa

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

It looks like everyone's reply is about having different names. I wanted to reply my thoughts on whether or not it's a big deal to have two Grandpa's.

I don't think the children will get confused. They'll know the difference between each. In most conversations, you'll be saying, we're going to Nanny and Grandpa's or Grandma and Grandpa will be coming over so when the two are said together, they will know who you are referring to. Maybe sometimes in conversation, you may have to clarify Grandpa Joe or Grandpa Larry but it will become natural instinct and the kids will still call them Grandpa even if they are in the same room.

I do not see it as a big deal to have two Grandpa's or Nanna's or whatever. The kids know who's who and will not be confused. I'd let the man be called what he wants to be called when he has Grandchildren. I'm sure he understands at times for clarification, he'll have to be called Grandpa "Joe".

Both my mother and my SIL's mother are Nanny and there is never any confusion as to which "Nanny" is referred to in a sentance because the information in the rest of the sentence pertains to the particular one.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

Calling them Grandma ___ and Grandma ___ won't work for us because as luck would have it both our Mothers have the same first name.

Grandy and Grandma are cute mb I'll suggest that.

Re: Will your child be using different names for both sets of Grandparents

My parents are referred to as Grandma and Grandpa by my nieces and nephews and my in-laws are referred to as Mimi and Pops by DH's nephews.