[Sethia Soliman]

AIBU 08.04.2024​

AIBU, which stands for 'Am I Being Unreasonable', is the perfect platform for sharing your thoughts and opinions! So, for today's AIBU discussion, we have this story from Reddit/@proudUncleA:

Am I being unreasonable for renaming my niece and nephew?

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'My sister and my brother-in-law are awful people they are disgusting human beings who should never have been allowed to reproduce, but life's not fair and my sister gave birth to my beautiful niece and my gorgeous nephew.'

'My niece and nephew were removed from their care permanently and I legally adopted them. I'm not going to go into detail about what they did to these poor kids... Let's just say it was horrible. One of the most horrible things that they've done was what they named their kids after. No, their names are not something old-fashioned, my niece's original name means prostitute and they named my nephew after a dog from a horror movie.'

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'When I adopted them and filled out the paperwork to change their last name to mine. I also changed their first names. This was over 6 years ago when my niece was just about to turn 4 and my nephew was 2 and a half years old. My sister just found out that I changed their names last week and is going crazy. I didn't think I was being unreasonable until our mutual aunt, who is someone I respect, said that I was being unreasonable to completely erase my sister and brother-in-law's connection to my kids, and now I'm starting to second guess myself.'

 

[Mrtnst]

Regardless if they don't know what the names mean now, having unusual names will naturally raise curiosity, in them and others.

A Google search would probably follow, resulting in great embarrassment for them both.

Children can be very cruel. Sending your niece and nephew to school with names like those you described would likely make them targets of such cruelty.

No, I don't think what you did was unreasonable.

 

[Zuki]

Please, continue to save and cherish these children.
Parents like those should have no rights to these children. Rights are with the children. Please, people, stop being lenient to the parasites of society. They do not deserve anything - they made their choices, as others have made better choices.
It is time that people are held accountable for bad behaviour. Stop excusing these beings.

 

[Jest]

time for the aunty to take a back seat and leave these good samaritans to what they do best and that is care for these kids.

 

[Carla Argus]

I think you did the right thing. Don't second guess yourself. You are obviously a very special person to provide a home and caring, stable environment to your neice and nephew. Welldone you!

 

[Marilynne]

Having both adopted and fostered for many years I have seen the worst and the best of people all I can say about these dreadful parents is 6 years - are you kidding me? where in the world have these people been all that time? ? ?

 

[Johan van Zalen]

No you did the right thing

 

[Bullwinkle]

You have made the right choices for your niece and nephew….you have done absolutely nothing wrong. You are the parent they need
Good luck

 

[wiskers50]

You definitely did the right thing.Thank God the kids have you

 

[relljube]

What business is it of the mutual aunt? Did she step up and assume responsibility for the children? NO - so she has no rights and her opinion is of no consequence - she should be told tactfully to but out! No child should have to go through life with the stigma of these names.Stay true to your beliefs and congratulations for being such a generous person.