Being told I should name my daughter after my dead twin
So i found out we're having a little girl this December. My husband and I were planning on keeping any names secret until she is born. I have no desire to hear others mock or scoff at any name we choose.
I had expected to get the standard questions about what name we've decided on. But I haven't gotten that. My in-laws, acquaintances and my side of the family have all started the name conversations with "And of course you'll have (deceased twin's name) as a first or middle name. But what other name will you also be going with.
I wasn't in any way prepared for such an assumption. I'm very upset at this suggestion and have been a bit blindsided by the wave of anger, grief, etc I get hit with every time it has been suggested. My twin died when I was ten. She had leukemia but was in remission. We had been home schooled for a couple years to try and reduce her exposure to colds, viruses, etc. I was given all the same restrictions as her - masks when in public, lots of lysol, etc. I got sn invite to a birthday party. I think I threw a total fit in order to attend, while my sister stayed home. The mom throwing the party promised to my parents she'd make sure there was lots of hand washing, etc to reduce any exposure to me and by proxy my sister. That birthday party mom neglected to mention her son was recovering from chicken pox. So I came home and ended up giving it to her. My sister ended up hospitalized shortly afterwards. She had no immune system to fight it off. The infection spread so badly my parents had to make the decision to turn off her ventilator.
I've had no response to give to people when they assume I'm naming my daughter after my twin. I walk away.
Is there any polite way I can shut this down now? I'd like to nip it in the bud so I'm not faced with the why question after my daughter is born.
Posted Jul 21, 2017, 10:06 PM UTC