What do you teach your kids to call adults?

[BarefootScientist]

Just wondering what you all teach your kids to refer to other adults as. People like the doctor, teachers for the rec classes we do etc., they are called Dr. ___ or Mrs. ____ because that is what I call them or who they introduce themselves as.

But what about people I call "Tom" that we know just on friendly terms? I have always just referred to our neighbors, for example, by their first names and expect DS to do the same I guess. But I have been called "Mrs. (First Name)" or "Mrs. (Last Name)" by little kids...what do you all think is proper?

[limabean]

For friends, the kids just call them by their first name. Most of my friends had kids before I did and they set the precedent by having their kids call us by our first names, which sounds fine to me, so we continued it.

I do have one friend who has her DD call me "Miss Limabean," which sounds really weird to me, but I try to remember (not always successfully, I admit) to encourage DS to call her "Miss Firstname" too, since that's what she seems comfortable with.

[Alyantavid]

Whatever the person prefers. Most adults in my kids' lives are friends of dh and I, so they're always just first name. Doctors, teachers, etc are addressed by their proper name.

[ChetMC]

What they Want

Our kids call the adults that they know what the person wants to be called.

As an aside, one mom I know from a playgroup used to introduce other mothers to her kids as Mama Julie or Mama Jane. I always thought it was nice to hear Mama used as a respectful title like Mrs. or Mr.

[MadiMamacita]

I have a family friend whose children always call people Miss firstname and Mr. firstname. I think its nice- but not overly formal like mr and mrs lastname.
that said, I don't find it disrespectful in the least for children to call people by their first names only. my LO is preverbal, so we haven't started any of that yet!

[momma_unlimited]

We don't really hang out with a lot of adult men (besides Gramps & Dad), but all my mom friends my kids call "Mama So-and-So" and all the non-moms they call "Miss First-Name".

[InMediasRes]

I hadn't thought a whole lot about this yet, but when I was growing up, we were instructed to call other adults Mr. or Miss Firstname if we knew their first name. Dr.s and teachers were called by title.

I think if someone introduces themselves to my kids as Firstname, I would have them use that, otherwise I might consider the Miss or Mr. Firstname.

And anyone whose name you don't know is Sir or Ma'am, regardless of age. I still do this.

[InMediasRes]

Originally Posted by ChetMC

As an aside, one mom I know from a playgroup used to introduce other mothers to her kids as Mama Julie or Mama Jane. I always thought it was nice to hear Mama used as a respectful title like Mrs. or Mr.

I love this.

[lunamegn]

With close adult friends my kids call them Aunt or Uncle. With professionals they call them what they were introduced to as - that's goes for everyone else as well.

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by Alyantavid

Whatever the person prefers. Most adults in my kids' lives are friends of dh and I, so they're always just first name. Doctors, teachers, etc are addressed by their proper name.

This.

I actually can't think of any adults (besides teachers) in our lives that my children address as Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so.

[Teensy]

In my area, children call adults Mr. or Ms. Firstname until around age 5 or 6, then Mr. or Ms. Lastname.

[wendybird]

Professionals (Pastor, Dr, etc) are whatever their title is plus last name. Friends of the family are Mr/Miss Firstname. Other adults(parents of their friends,not so close people)are Mr or Miss last name. It is very normal around here to do Miss firstname.

[JL83]

With the exception of family, my DD calls people what I call them. And I call them by how they introduce themselves. Our dentist introduced himself as "Jim", so we call him that. Our doctor went the "Dr. X" route, so we call her that.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Originally Posted by BarefootScientist

Just wondering what you all teach your kids to refer to other adults as. People like the doctor, teachers for the rec classes we do etc., they are called Dr. ___ or Mrs. ____ because that is what I call them or who they introduce themselves as.

But what about people I call "Tom" that we know just on friendly terms? I have always just referred to our neighbors, for example, by their first names and expect DS to do the same I guess. But I have been called "Mrs. (First Name)" or "Mrs. (Last Name)" by little kids...what do you all think is proper?

The Dr. thing really hasnt come up. Not even for me I usually dont address them by name at any point during an appt. Just realized that.

Teachers tell the kids what they want to be called on the first day of school and I stick with what ever that is. Sometimes it is Mrs. Firstname sometimes Mrs. Lastname it varies.

What ever name I use for the adult is the name the kids would use. Like my brother for example he is just S****** his first name. We dont use uncle or aunt. But for one great aunt she has requested that the kids say Aunt Sue so that is what we do. And their great great Aunt who just turned 100 they call her Aunt Ollie.

I live in TN and there is a lot of Mr. Mrs. firstname but I dont like it so dont incourage it.

[Thisbirdwillfly]

I gave up on trying to figure out the universal answer to this question and just asked the adult in question what they would prefer to be called.

[SubliminalDarkness]

Whatever the adult wants my child to call them. Unless.... If they want my child to refer to them as a relationship that they're not... like a family friend saying to call her Aunt Sue, or whatever. If she's not an aunt, then it's not happening.

[the_lissa]

My kids call people by what they want to be called, which is first names in my area. Little kids don't call adults by titles here, except for doctors or teachers.

[LaLaLaLa]

We do first names all the way. I really hate it when kids call me Miss Firstname; it just grates on me for some reason. I much prefer to be JUST my name. I was raised calling adults who were neighbors or friends of my parents by their first names, so that's what I'm used to. I hope the people in our lives will be similarly comfortable with my kids calling them by their first names.

[skreader]

When the kids were younger it tended to be honorific family titles (which is common in this culture).

Women = name + auntie (or just "auntie")
Younger women = name + "jie-jie" (older sister)

Men = name + uncle (or just "uncle")
Younger men = name + goh-goh (older brother)

As they moved on in primary school, they would sometimes address the parents of their schoolfriends as "Mrs. So-and-so" or "Mr. So-and-so".

Doctors - sometimes Dr+ Family name, but now more commonly "Dr. + given name "(e.g. Dr. Carol and Dr. Charles)

Now that they are in secondary school, I tell their friends to call me by my given name if they are comfortable with that. Some of my friends they now call by given name, with no "auntie" in front.

[loraxc]

We live in the South and have adopted the Southern tradition of "Miss Firstname" and "Mr. Firstname." Some people here find it offensive if you just use first names, and we try to be somewhat considerate of local culture on little stuff like this. Her doctors (unfortunately she has more than one) go by their proper names, though--Dr. Lastname.