Can you use an assumed name in first grade?

Question

i got divorced when my daughter was 8 months old. i got re-married a month after she turned three. my now husband has raised her since then, although she does still have a relationship with her real dad. he gets her for a weekend here and there. my now husband and i have two other children together that of course have his last name, as do i. my daughter wants to know why she doesn't have the same last name as we all do...and i told her it's because i used to be married to her daddy and he gave her his last name when she was born. well, i talked to her dad about it, and to make her feel better, he is okay with her using a hyphen after his last name and adding my now husband's last name...so she would go by Avery Pearson-Fulks. he isn't to hot on the idea of adoption though. she starts school on wednesday and will be in the first grade. is it okay legally to ask them to call her Avery Pearson-Fulks? we plan on getting the name changed legally, but it won't be done for a while so could they just call her this until it's made to be her real name? i hope this is not to confusing.

Answer 1

I don't know if the rules are different in other states, but it was a very quick process for me to change my daughter's name here in NH....it was just a matter of filling out a paper and having it signed by both parents and bringing it to town hall.   However, in the meantime, the school will go by the current birth certificate but they may be cooperative if you explain the situation and let them know that you want her to start learning how to write her last name.  I had my daughter's name hyphenated and requested the school to address her informally with just my current husband's last name.  So on file they do have her entire last name but she is referred to by just our current last name.  Talk to the school - I think they'll try to be cooperative.