A 30-year-old man has shared how his mother-in-law refuses to call his son his real name because she hates it.
Sharing his story on Reddit, he explained that his mother-in-law has been a great help since he and his wife welcomed their baby but she keeps on calling him Sherman instead of his actual name.
“Me and my wife recently had a baby. Over the past three months, her mother, 60, has been a constant presence in helping us around the house,” he wrote.
The man continued: “It has been very helpful, and we have been very thankful, especially as my wife had a long recovery due to some complications.”
He said that his mother has always wanted the name Sherman to honor her father but they didn’t like the name so the couple named their baby Alexander.
“However, over the last couple of weeks I have noticed her increasingly calling him variations of Sherman (for example, Lil Sherm)… to him and to us. I have asked her gently and firmly to stop doing so. My wife has talked to her also. No change.”
Irritated by her mother-in-law’s way of calling their baby, he gave her an ultimatum and said she could either start calling her grandson Alexander or leave the house.
The mother-in-law then walked out of the house.
“We had a Zoom conversation where I apologized for the outburst. I however, did not apologize for insisting for her to call him the right name,” he continued, adding that her mother-in-law did not apologize for calling him a different name.
She then asked if they could give their son the middle name ‘Sherman.’
“How many more years do I have left?” she told them. Even though he didn’t like the idea, he said that they would think about it.
Reddit users were quick to share their thoughts on the matter, with one person saying: “Personally, this would be a hard no.
If you allow this as a middle name just to keep the peace, you open the door for future opinions your mother-in-law may have. She’s made enough of a fuss to change a parental choice, and I’m sure it won’t be the last input if you give in now.”
Another said: “Your child already has a name that you and your wife picked out. There is no reason to rename him. She is not respecting your wishes at all and is continuing to push the issue by suggesting you compromise. Absolute insanity. I would stand firm.”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this story with your friends and family!