# Godparents and mentors

**Should we choose godparents or mentors for our child?**

Whether you name other adults with a special role in your child's life, such as secular godparents or mentors, besides the legal guardian.

In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Legal guardian only; Guardian plus honorary secular godparents; Neither yet. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: during pregnancy.

- Area: Extended family and community
- Evidence: Your call
- Best settled: During pregnancy
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/extended-family-and-community--godparents-and-mentors

## Godparents and mentors: what are the options?

1. **Legal guardian only**: You name only the person who would raise the child if you died.
2. **Guardian plus honorary secular godparents**: You name a guardian and also ask close friends to play a special, non-religious role.
3. **Neither yet**: You have not chosen anyone.

## Godparents and mentors: what does the evidence say?

**Your call.** No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

No sourced data

## What else is worth knowing?

A legal guardian is the person who would raise your child if you both died, named in a will. A godparent, in a secular sense, is an adult asked to take a special interest in the child. The two roles can be the same person or different people.

## Questions to ask each other

- Is there someone we would want in this role?
- What do we want them to do for our child?
- How would we ask them?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=extended-family-and-community&topic=extended-family-and-community--godparents-and-mentors