Do your kids call adults by their first name?

[conny63malies]

My kids call the neighbors Miss Roxie, Miss Esther.. or the ones we dont really talk with Mr Polito(last name) They also are supposed to end their sentences with Sir or Ma'am when they talk to people other than family they are adressed by aunt,uncle soandso. The soldiers in my DH office are adressed with the rank SGT and then their name. THe only one who doesnt call our jamacian neighbor Miss Esther is my little one Sammy. She calls Miss Esther "grandma"

 

[PotterWatch]

I didn't read most of the other posts, but I do think the standard for addressing adults has a lot to do with where you live. I know my brother's kids would never think to call an adult by their first name, just like I wouldn't have when I was a kid. Where we live now though, the most common thing is to call adults Miss "first name", or Mr. "first name". Unless an adult prefers being called something else, that is what we do. We do have several close friends that our kids call by their first names only, but that only occured after we asked our friends what they would prefer. I don't mind being called Heather or Miss Heather, but I don't even know that I would think to answer if I heard someone say Mrs "last name".

Oh, and we don't "sir" or "ma'am" at all.

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
Seems to be a bit of a bible belt and military thing. Even me and my DH do it with strangers.

 

[PotterWatch]

We did need to "sir" and "ma'am" a fair bit when I was young, but not as much as I know my nephews in Texas do.

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
Sometimes i have to remind my kids... yes who? but usually they are good about it . Kids nowadays rarely are respectful. I cant stand it when they call a soldier,policeman or teacher "dude".

 

[ole-crone]

Now that is interesting. I'm 55. In my husband's family they called their grandparents by Grandpa Surname. Never a first name. Aunts and uncles were Aunt Jane or Uncle John. Adults were always Mr. Mrs. etc. In his family, InLaws were called Mom/Dad Surname.

In my family, We did the same except we called grandparents I guess depending on what they wanted. My dad's parents were Grandma/Grandpa Surname (but I never actually met them). I grew up around my mom's parents and they were Grandma Jane and Grandpa John (or 'first name' grandparents). In my family InLaws were called by their first name.

For our children, their grandparents were 'first name' grandparents. Their Great grandmother was a 'surname' grandparent. Our children's spouses call us by our first name. Our grandchildren call us grandpa/grandma surname (I hate it!) To me, to call a grandparent Grandma Jones is too formal and if the grandparent doesn't like it, not showing anyone respect.

My mom had one cousin who was almost as old as my grandmother. He was called Uncle Lloyd. Probably because my mother called him that. However, as long as I can remember, my brother called him plain Lloyd. However, my mother's other cousins were always just called by their first names.

In short - too late - we were raised to show respect by using titles. However - as others have stated, true respect is to call people what they want to be known as, whether it agrees with your family tradition or not.

I'm called Mary Ann by my nieces and nephews, friends, children's friends, etc. I don't need a title to feel special or respected. I feel that titles are something you use when you don't feel comfortable with a person. If someone used a title when talking to me, I'd wonder why they don't like me or feel comfy around me.

Mary Ann

 

[theOEGBman]

The only people I call Mrs/Mr are my best friend's moms, because they're teachers and that's what I called them all throughout elementary school. Most other people I call by their first names, but I guess its a little of both. It depends on the person, I guess.