S/o: Do you call you in-laws "Mom" and "Dad"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it odd that there are so many people with such strong feelings about this. I posted before that we both call our in-laws Mom and Dad (and I call our next door neighbor, who also is my former elementary school teacher, Sheila).

I was thinking that it was because we are foster and adoptive parents so we maybe we skew to be more flexible with the concepts of "mom" and "dad" ... but then my husband reminded me that our parents did the same with their in-laws.

It will be interesting to see what our children and their spouses do when they marry. Whatever happens, I hope that their spouses feel comfortable telling us what form of address they prefer.

I am adopted myself, and I would never want to call my in-laws "Mom and Dad." They aren't my parents. They didn't raise me. They are nice people and we get along fine, but if they wanted to be called Mom and Dad and pushed it, I probably just wouldn't ever address them by any kind of name again.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Never. I hate them.

[Anonymous]

I use the titles my DH and his sibs use - Mommy and Daddy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it odd that there are so many people with such strong feelings about this. I posted before that we both call our in-laws Mom and Dad (and I call our next door neighbor, who also is my former elementary school teacher, Sheila).

I was thinking that it was because we are foster and adoptive parents so we maybe we skew to be more flexible with the concepts of "mom" and "dad" ... but then my husband reminded me that our parents did the same with their in-laws.

It will be interesting to see what our children and their spouses do when they marry. Whatever happens, I hope that their spouses feel comfortable telling us what form of address they prefer.

I am adopted myself, and I would never want to call my in-laws "Mom and Dad." They aren't my parents. They didn't raise me. They are nice people and we get along fine, but if they wanted to be called Mom and Dad and pushed it, I probably just wouldn't ever address them by any kind of name again.

Another adult adoptee here. I posted upthread that I already have a mom and dad- the people who raised me and who parented me. Perhaps precisely because I am adopted makes me realize that those titles aren't to be bestowed lightly. I've met my birth family, if that makes a difference. I don't care if other people call their ILs Mom and Dad- my own (adoptive) parents did, but then my mom also takes great joy in being known as Mrs. Dad'sName LastName, which is something I find very old fashioned.

[Anonymous]

Call them by first names