POLL: What do your kids call your friends? Mrs. Smith or Sally?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mrs. Smith, Miss Jane (unmarried teachers, coaches etc), Auntie Nita (close family friends).

All male teachers, bosses at work are Mr. Smith etc.

If designations are there - Dr. so and so, they will use that.

Unless an adult or elder gives them permission to call them with a different name, they use this form of politeness.

I also do not like when other people's kids call me by my first name. I will interrupt and ask to be called as "My Child's Mom" - if they do not want to call me "Mrs. XYZ". Or not use my name. Thankfully, I do not have many such kids in my life.

That sums it up for me too. It's also easier for my kids to remember John Lastname's parents are "Mr./Mrs. Lastname" than remember all the kids' names plus adults' first names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Other adults we know, their kids call them bt first name.

At school, they call faculty admin and by their first name.

It works for my family

This. But also keeping in mind what someone prefers to be called. Fortunately most of my friends are more egalitarian in outlook and don't want titles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mrs. Smith, Miss Jane (unmarried teachers, coaches etc), Auntie Nita (close family friends).

All male teachers, bosses at work are Mr. Smith etc.

If designations are there - Dr. so and so, they will use that.

Unless an adult or elder gives them permission to call them with a different name, they use this form of politeness.

I also do not like when other people's kids call me by my first name. I will interrupt and ask to be called as "My Child's Mom" - if they do not want to call me "Mrs. XYZ". Or not use my name. Thankfully, I do not have many such kids in my life.

That sums it up for me too. It's also easier for my kids to remember John Lastname's parents are "Mr./Mrs. Lastname" than remember all the kids' names plus adults' first names.

I don't have the same last name as my children. This approach might be easier, but it's not necessarily more respectful/deferential to the adults in question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mrs. Smith, Miss Jane (unmarried teachers, coaches etc), Auntie Nita (close family friends).

All male teachers, bosses at work are Mr. Smith etc.

If designations are there - Dr. so and so, they will use that.

Unless an adult or elder gives them permission to call them with a different name, they use this form of politeness.

I also do not like when other people's kids call me by my first name. I will interrupt and ask to be called as "My Child's Mom" - if they do not want to call me "Mrs. XYZ". Or not use my name. Thankfully, I do not have many such kids in my life.

That sums it up for me too. It's also easier for my kids to remember John Lastname's parents are "Mr./Mrs. Lastname" than remember all the kids' names plus adults' first names.

I don't have the same last name as my children. This approach might be easier, but it's not necessarily more respectful/deferential to the adults in question.

Me too. I will answer to Mrs. Mychild'slastname, because I know that people are addressing me and are not being malicious (usually), but it's not really polite to call somebody by a name that isn't theirs.

[Anonymous]

We mostly use first names with friends of all ages because it's friendlier (. I teach at a school where students address teachers with honorifics (Mr./Mrs/.Ms/Dr.) and
also teach Sunday School, where the students call teachers by their first names. Either way the students show the appropriate level of respect for teachers and for one another.

[Anonymous]

I have a long and difficult to pronounce last name, so I cringe whenever someone tries to make a child under the age of 7 say it. I prefer to be addressed by my first name, and will say so, but I go with whatever the parents want.

And I do the reverse, kids start with Mr./Ms. last name. Until the adult says something otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Miss Sarah. I get annoyed when kids just call me Sarah. I am not their peer. It's rude.

[Anonymous]

Why does age make someone more important socially?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mrs. Smith, Miss Jane (unmarried teachers, coaches etc), Auntie Nita (close family friends).

All male teachers, bosses at work are Mr. Smith etc.

If designations are there - Dr. so and so, they will use that.

Unless an adult or elder gives them permission to call them with a different name, they use this form of politeness.

I also do not like when other people's kids call me by my first name. I will interrupt and ask to be called as "My Child's Mom" - if they do not want to call me "Mrs. XYZ". Or not use my name. Thankfully, I do not have many such kids in my life.

That sums it up for me too. It's also easier for my kids to remember John Lastname's parents are "Mr./Mrs. Lastname" than remember all the kids' names plus adults' first names.

I don't have the same last name as my children. This approach might be easier, but it's not necessarily more respectful/deferential to the adults in question.

I do not have the same last name as my kids or husband. I am fine with people using kids/spouse's Lastname for me. Unless it is a legal document, there is no harm done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Miss Patty, Miss Sarah. We're southern.

We're from NY, but picked up this habit when we lived in NoVa. I like it a lot. It distinguishes the adults without being too formal.

Same. But we're from Michigan.

[Anonymous]

We do Ms. First Name or Mr. First Name.

Some people prefer Ms. LastName, so we do that.

Started doing it when kids were in preschool, and it stuck.

[Anonymous]

Family friends - Mr/Ms/Mrs/Dr Firstname
Strangers/acquaintances - Honorific Lastname

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mrs. Smith, Miss Jane (unmarried teachers, coaches etc), Auntie Nita (close family friends).

All male teachers, bosses at work are Mr. Smith etc.

If designations are there - Dr. so and so, they will use that.

Unless an adult or elder gives them permission to call them with a different name, they use this form of politeness.

I also do not like when other people's kids call me by my first name. I will interrupt and ask to be called as "My Child's Mom" - if they do not want to call me "Mrs. XYZ". Or not use my name. Thankfully, I do not have many such kids in my life.

That sums it up for me too. It's also easier for my kids to remember John Lastname's parents are "Mr./Mrs. Lastname" than remember all the kids' names plus adults' first names.

I don't have the same last name as my children. This approach might be easier, but it's not necessarily more respectful/deferential to the adults in question.

I do not have the same last name as my kids or husband. I am fine with people using kids/spouse's Lastname for me. Unless it is a legal document, there is no harm done.

That's great for you. But why is Mr./Mrs. Child's Lastname the best, most respectful default option if it might not actually be the person's name?

If you have any doubt and want to be respectful, ask the person what they want to be called, and instruct your child to follow the person's wishes.

[Anonymous]

Please call me Princess Tabitha.