How do you have your children address other adults?

[Anonymous]

It's changed over the years. When I taught elementary, I told my daughter to call everyone Ms First Name. Now that I teach high school, everyone is Ms. Last Name. If they're a close family friend then they're just First Name. Sometimes they'll correct her with whatever they prefer and she uses that going forward.

[Anonymous]

Whatever that adult wants to be called. Phoebe, Mrs. Princess Consuela Banana Hammock, whatever.

I hate the "Miss Phoebe" thing. We're not Southern, obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's changed over the years. When I taught elementary, I told my daughter to call everyone Ms First Name. Now that I teach high school, everyone is Ms. Last Name. If they're a close family friend then they're just First Name. Sometimes they'll correct her with whatever they prefer and she uses that going forward.

Sometimes it also depends on the age of the child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t allow children to call me by my first name. Why would I? I’m not their pal.

I don’t know why some parents seem to think it’s cute.

[Anonymous]

Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. Last name

If the adult specifically says they prefer to be called by their first name or "Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. first name," then I would instruct my child to call them that.

I find it incredibly rude and presumptuous to use a first name.

[Anonymous]

We live in New England now. I don't know anyone who wants to be called Ms/Mr first name. Pretty much all our close friends want to be called by their first name (dh and I included for their kids). People we are less close to go by mrs/Mr last name. Although, I have found it very common for people to say "oh call me Larla".
Dh and I both grew up outside of Boston and called a lot of our parents friends by first name and some of our close friend's parents by first name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask the other adult directly.

This.

I prefer my kids' friends call me by my first name but I don't mind Ms. Larla or Ms. Lastname.

[Anonymous]

I don't care what they call me, I just want to see some quick eye contact. Many kids simply stare and say nothing now when other adults THEY KNOW address them with "hi" or "how are you?). Or they grunt.

The lack of social skills in kids under age 14 is creepy, and rather sad.

[Anonymous]

Generally, Mr/Ms First Name, unless the adult introduces themselves in another way or expresses a wish to be called something else. And then you call them what they want to be called, because that is the only polite option.

[Anonymous]

I grew up with Mrs. Last Name and I cringe a little bit now that it has changed so much and my kids call another adult by a first name! It is so odd to me.

They still call old people Mr Last Name and Mrs Last Name because I will not have my 3 year old calling an 76 year old neighbor by her first name.

It is weird to me, but everyone does first names so that is what we do.

[Anonymous]

Does it matter? Most kids end up calling me "Larla's mom"/"Larlo's mom."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t allow children to call me by my first name. Why would I? I’m not their pal.

I don’t know why some parents seem to think it’s cute.

I told kids to call me by my first name, although a number of my friends' kids defaulted to that already. It has nothing to do with being their pal or trying to think I'm cute; I'm not even sure how you came up with that reasoning. The world has become more casual and in business most people start with a first name, so why wouldn't kids? I personally think it's a false sense of respect and many kids stress over it (and get my name wrong because it's not the same as my kids' last name). I'd rather people show respect through their behavior than clinging to old fashioned norms, which extends to kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not be addressing any adults by first name only.

In your opinion. I find Mrs. So and So to be incredibly fusty, and Miss So and So to be southern and weird. I prefer to be called by my first name. How is using my name disrespectful?

[Anonymous]

I ask everyone to call me by my first name. I strongly prefer that to any form of Ms (first name or last name). I ask other parents what they want my kids to call them. Most go by first name, some by Ms/Mr First Name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not be addressing any adults by first name only.

In your opinion. I find Mrs. So and So to be incredibly fusty, and Miss So and So to be southern and weird. I prefer to be called by my first name. How is using my name disrespectful?

I agree so much with both of these. I hate that my 3 year old calls a grown up “Lauren”. But, she doesn’t want Mrs Last Smith, and Miss Lauren is annoying and a mouthful.