[Gospelfan]

When adopting an older child, do they always take the last name of the family? Do they have a role in deciding?

My husband and I talked from teh beginning that with our trying to adopt two 13yr olds, we'd LOVE for them to take our name, and see that in so many ways it'd help people see them as really our kids.

But, I have a nephew who's stepdad is encouraging him to change his last name to that of the stepdads. My nephew goes back and forth between excited and sad, as he put it... that's been his name ever since before he was born.

It got DH and I thinking and talking... wouldnt this be even harder with older kids, and especially from a tougher situation.

It seems some people have even changed the first names of the kiddos... so what's precedence and is this somethign you discuss with the kids as you get closer?

~ Gospelfan