I had a fake aunt and uncle growing up and my kids do, too. But only our close friends who happen to have kids who are the same age (hence, I imagine we'll be close for a long time).

This is common in my circle of friends. I think it's an outcome of none of us having family in the area so in a lot of ways, we're become each other's day to day families. Sure, we still go home for holidays and whatnot but my daughter sees more of my friend than she sees my sisters.

In my culture (Eastern European) children call adults who are not related to them but are close family friends or the parents of their friends Aunt/Uncle. My desi friends say the same thing.

OP here. Thanks for the replies! I love that they feel close enough to call me Auntie. Not asking to change it! I love being an aunt by blood and through friends. It is one of the best parts of my life!

Some call me "Aunt" Susie and some call me "Miss" Susie. I'm fine with what they are comfortable with. I'm white.

My oldest son calls me "Boy". I think it's hilarious, because I have always acted more like a guy than a girl. He has a baby on the way next spring and I can guarantee that his son will call me the same thing, because I can't see my son changing at age 26.

I'm white. I grew up calling very close friends of my moms Auntie---now with my kids they call my 2 childhood friends Auntie---

I never thought to ask them if they wanted that, I just think of them as family.

My friends kids call me aunt as well. I don't have any kids- it's nice.

Anonymous wrote:I think this is very much cultural. I'm AA and the close friends of my parents were aunt or uncle. Same is true for my Samoan bff.

+1

Not weird. They consider you family.

I'm white. I do this for friends who are like family. Seemed weird in the moment to call them just a friend. I don't have any sisters though so they don't have REAL aunts, perhaps that makes a difference?

I think this is very much cultural. I'm AA and the close friends of my parents were aunt or uncle. Same is true for my Samoan bff.

It's cute. But you can ask your friends that their kids call you what you prefer. Nothing wrong with that either.

I grew up calling a few of my parents' closest friends "Aunt" and "Uncle". It was a way of signalling a relationship that was family like.

Three of my best girlfriends have young children and when with the kids my friends refer to me as Aunt/Auntie X. I am totally fine with it, but is it weird? I never called my parents friends anything other than Mr. or Mrs. X growing up. Again, don't need or want to be called something more formal, just curious if others do this with their friends.