Do your kids call adults by their first name?

[Chirpy]

Just curious...

We don't allow our children to call any adults by their first names. If they are very close family friends they usually become honorary Aunts/Uncles. Even when an adult requests our kids to, we explain that we are teaching our children to respect their elders and part of that respect is the Mr. and Mrs./Miss title.

I know very few other parents that care what their children call adults around here... so - how about at your house?

 

[DouglasPeeps]

We do the exact same thing. We have a lot of family that lives close by, including quite a few of my cousins (who are adults). My children refer to all of my adult cousins as Aunt or Uncle. Our closest friends are also called Aunt and Uncle too. We regularly have adults asking my children to call them by their first names. I know we are in the minority on this with the people we know, but I think it is a matter of respect.

 

[DTchickens]

minor here.. parents taught me work for my money and buy stuff or have nothing. care for what i get. call family aunt/uncle. Grandpa, grandma. mom, dad etc. except cousins.. we call them by their first name.. Out of family i call Mr, miss, Mrs. etc.. unless i consider them a friend.. Then i call them by first name. and even then call them Mr. Mrs, miss. etc. when talking about them sometimes. A friend in australia (which is old enough to be my great grandfather) never lets me call him MR

which i'll be honest gave me a weird feeling since im used to calling them mr. (last name)

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

It is honestly not something I have ever thought about... Like your family, if someone is really close they too become Aunt's and Uncle's. But usually my kids ask adult friends what their name is and call them by name.
I honestly cannot stand to be called Maam or Miss and would prefer to be called by my first name.

But I'm only talking about adult friends not close enough to be called "Auntie ____"
Like they would never call my SIL "Melissa" but they address her as "Auntie Missy".

 

[HorseFeathers]

I call family freinds, friends' parents, and sometimes uncles/aunts by first name, yes, but am still respectful.

 

[klf73]

yes, we constantly have to tell our kids NOT to call adults by their first name but rather Mr. Mrs. Miss etc. It is SO hard because my oldest (13) calls her best friends mother by her first name and her friend calls me by my first name because that is how her mother refers to me. It makes me cringe when she says my name....

 

[HorseFeathers]

Whoa... I guess we're kind of casual about that huh? I mean, all adults I know well enough to call by first name wouldn't want to Mrs./Ms./Mr. at ALL!

 

[farmerlor]

Our kids have been taught to call people by their titles but part of respecting adults is calling them by the name they wish to be called so if someone is uncomfortable with Mrs. so and so and wishes to be called Holly or whatever they are allowed to call them by their name.

 

[kodiakchicken]

Most of the time our DD calls people by Miss or Mr. and then their first name. Like Miss Pam, Mr. Ken, etc. It started at her preschool, where all the teachers were known by Miss & Mr. It was a Baptist preschool and that type of address is kind of a southern thing.

That type of address is usually easier for kids to say than the last names too. We live in an area with a lot of Russian and Native names that are hard for even adults to say.

However, if an adult asks to be called by their first name only, we allow our daughter to do that. After all, honoring the request of an adult is showing more respect that having the kids do something you think is right. I know how I feel when kids call me Mrs. Whipple, and for the most part I really don't like it. I'd much rather be called Miss Erin.

 

[wyliefarms]

We have our children use Mr and Mrs with adults. Aunt and Uncle are called that not just first name. My niece who is 11 still calls my husband and myself by our first names. I correct her everytime. I am ready to have a chat with my SIL about it.

For my close friends we use Mrs and Mr with their first name and vice versa.

For cousins that are mine and my husbands. The kids call them Cousin (first name).

I do correct my childrens friends if they call me by my first name.