What is considered the "norm" in DC? (Outside the country, and wondering how we should be preparing our kids for the transition). |
I’ve taught my kids Mr./Mrs./Ms. LastName. |
Also, I grew up in this area and that’s what I was taught. |
OP again - could you please note the ages of your kids? I feel like it's one thing for a 3-year old to say "Ms. Becky" but another for a 12 year old.
Also, isn't this confusing in a day in which many women don't have the same last name as their kids? I don't and my last name is really, really complicated. Do I just get called "Ms. J"? |
Last name till adult says otherwise in less they are close friends of ours and then first name. Ms. First name is more a Southern thing. No its not confusing to have different last names. We do. |
I have a different last name and it's also complicated. I go by "Ms. M" with my kids' friends |
I think Ms. J is fine if you are okay with it. My daughter has a teacher who is "Mrs. F" because of a complicated last name. She signs everything that way.
I don't think there is a set norm in this area. I have a six year old and we use Ms. FirstName for friends and neighbors. But we also said that whatever a person wants to be called, is what you use even if your normal rules are different. So if Ms. Pam says "Call me Mrs. Foley," then you do. As kids get older, I think they should transition to either just the first name (said politely) or Ms. LastName. Either is better than "Larla's Mom" which I get pretty often. |
Really? I think that's the easiest given differing last names, complicated last names, some wanting first name/some wanting last name. |
Mr./Ms./Mrs. LastName until instructed otherwise.
Most of my kid's friends call me Mrs. H or Mrs. FirstName. I think it's the same for my kids with their friends' parents. None that I can think of require them to still call them Mr./Mrs. LastName. |
Close family friends- Aunt/Uncle
When they were very young (daycare)- Mr./Ms. First name K and up- Mr./Ms. Last name unless instructed otherwise |
ugh, this just reminded me how much it sucks when wives don't take their husbands names |
My DH grew up saying Mr./Mrs./Ms. First Name, and that how he taught DD. I actually grew up calling adults by their first names. |
A lot of my son’s friends (ages 6-9 mostly) call me Larlo’s mom (like hi Larlo’s mom. Can Larlo’s come out and play?). I started answering to it when they were much younger and it stuck. I prefer it to being called “Mrs. my husband and sons last name” because that’s not my last name, and honestly I don’t care what they call me really, just that they’re being respectful. |
women whose kids have different last names, when you are addressed as mrs. child's name, do you correct them or just ignore it and continue the conversation normally? |
Mr/Ms FirstName, unless it is someone older or with whom I have a more formal relationship, then it’s Mr/Ms LastName. |