Many of us have one, some of us ARE one…but what’s the deal with Godparents? And can you ever say no to being one?
So, a good friend of mine was just asked for the fourth time to be a godparent. Four godchildren? FOUR? If you’re a standup Godparent, that’s a lot of gifts. And a lot of wearing nice shirts to baptisms. And not being hungover for baptisms. And churches. And baptisms.
And so, the question cropped up: how many godchildren are too many godchildren? And really, in the modern world, what role are they expected to play? Like wet nurses, chimney sweeps, or lamp lighters, is ‘godparent’ a role that is not longer relevant?
I am not overly sure who my godfather is (we’ve never met), and my godmother and I haven’t seen each other in over five years. Have either of these people shaped who I am today? Well, no. Not at all. And they only had one godchild to neglect – what about people who have more than one?
I asked around, from godparents to godchildren to god-experts and even God himself (yet to hear back), and the answers were interesting. My first question was all about that big choice: how did you choose your child’s godparents?
One pal put it down to genuine interest:
“We thought a bit about it when I was pregnant with my first child, and had some people in mind, however we wanted to wait until she was born, to see who was actually really interested and involved in her. As it turned out, all our ‘preliminary candidates’ weren’t there a lot, however my childhood friend was suddenly visiting all the time, showing so much love and support, and both my husband and I went “Ah! It’s her!!” It just clicked naturally.”
Right, so if enthusiasm and consistency were key to the decision – can one person really be expected to uphold this commitment to more than one child? Should people take on more than one godchild?
Top Comments
I have six Godchildren. I also have 10 nieces and nephews (and another one on the way), and several other children who are "mine" through various other names. I have been given the honour of being "given" extra children to love, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The adults who have been there to love and support my children have had a massive impact on shaping the people they have become.
I don't really understand why you would ask an uncle or Aunty to be a godparent, really do g they already play a special role in their niece or nephews life