Name Change in Texas

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Quoting faithkeepers

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Anything that I could use in the court system to help me?

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Help you do what?

Help my baby keep my name. I am not trying to hang all my dirty laundry on this forum. It is way more complicated than I have told. I have tried my best to be a good co-parent only to be called names and sent dirty texts from him and his girlfriend. He has not tried to help until the court system got involved. I am just wondering about my rights and the welfare of my baby. Sorry for the confusion.

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Quoting faithkeepers

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Help my baby keep my name. I am not trying to hang all my dirty laundry on this forum. It is way more complicated than I have told. I have tried my best to be a good co-parent only to be called names and sent dirty texts from him and his girlfriend. He has not tried to help until the court system got involved. I am just wondering about my rights and the welfare of my baby. Sorry for the confusion.

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Sorry, but again if Dad files in court for a name change, generally one of two things will happen. Either the baby gets his last name, or the baby's last name is hyphenated.

Can you prove to the court that having Dad's last name would somehow be detrimental to the baby?

Remember, the "baby will feel left out" reasoning is not going to convince the court.

Baby is mixed with me being white and her dad being black. She is very bright skinned and doesn't hardly look mixed and his name would definitely be considered towards his ethnicity. I feel that it could possibly cause her some grief later in life. Unfortunately middle school aged kids can be very cruel.

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Quoting faithkeepers

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Baby is mixed with me being white and her dad being black. She is very bright skinned and doesn't hardly look mixed and his name would definitely be considered towards his ethnicity. I feel that it could possibly cause her some grief later in life. Unfortunately middle school aged kids can be very cruel.

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....and you didn't think of this before you got pregnant?!

Seriously hon - your fears of ethnic insults are not going to convince a court. Your job as a parent is to teach your child how to deal with things like that...to give her the tools enabling her to cope with such situations.

I didn't think so, but I thought I'd ask. I really do appreciate your input and help. I just wish I could have a say in this. Another girl just recently had his baby also, but she gave it up. He didn't even fight for that baby, but wants mine to have his name. I know, I know I should have been smarter about the guy I chose, but hindsight is 20-20. It's my mistake. I have learned, but I just don't like the idea of the constant reminder with his last name.

You can grow and learn from this :)

You're going to be co-parenting with him for a long time to come and you've got to deal with that reality. He may turn out to be a really crappy father or he may change his tune and become a wonderful Dad.

That's what happened to me - I made what I thought was a truly dreadful decision and I wanted my ex completely out of the picture. But once I got my own head out of my own butt, and started thinking more about what was best for our child versus my own feelings..well, I realized that he deserved at least the chance. It wasn't easy for me, and I was very resistant to the idea.

He's turned out to be a really - honestly - wonderful father. In all honesty, even though we've both remarried and moved on in that sense...I couldn't wish for a better father.

Now I'm not saying that this will happen with you, and I'm not saying that your ex will turn out to be SuperDad.

Just that it's possible.

Strange things can happen :)