Anonymous
12/05/2016 21:48
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I hope your kids just keep calling them Grandma and Grandpa.
ILs will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary later this month. It will be interesting to hear what the other "older" grandkids call them.
It's totally any adult's prerogative to decide that a nickname, even a longtime "title" like grandma or grandpa, is something they want to change. Maybe they never actually liked being called grandma and grandpa all these years but ended up with those nicknames by default when the grandkids came along and that's what their adult kids told the children to call them. If you get along well with them, why not ask: Hey, we're fine with a change, just wondered -- did you always not like being called grandma? ....Maybe it made them feel older than they really are, or maybe they see that all their friends get called this by grandkids so it's boring. But it's their choice what they prefer.
Maybe the impending 50th anniversary is somewhat behind the desire for a change--? Perhaps they feel they want to start the next half-century with fresh names they actually prefer.
If they tell your kids directly, "Please call us Mimi and Papa," I hope you'd tell your kids to do so. And at the same time, tell the kids that if they slip up and automatically say "grandma and grandpa," that's no big deal, and the elders will understand. But the kids should make an effort to call people what those people want to be called, even if it's a change.
+1
They have every right to determine how they wish to be addressed. Yes, even if they started as something else.
Sure, but wouldn't it be normal for them to explain it or at the least, mention it?
Anonymous
12/05/2016 21:24
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I hope your kids just keep calling them Grandma and Grandpa.
ILs will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary later this month. It will be interesting to hear what the other "older" grandkids call them.
It's totally any adult's prerogative to decide that a nickname, even a longtime "title" like grandma or grandpa, is something they want to change. Maybe they never actually liked being called grandma and grandpa all these years but ended up with those nicknames by default when the grandkids came along and that's what their adult kids told the children to call them. If you get along well with them, why not ask: Hey, we're fine with a change, just wondered -- did you always not like being called grandma? ....Maybe it made them feel older than they really are, or maybe they see that all their friends get called this by grandkids so it's boring. But it's their choice what they prefer.
Maybe the impending 50th anniversary is somewhat behind the desire for a change--? Perhaps they feel they want to start the next half-century with fresh names they actually prefer.
If they tell your kids directly, "Please call us Mimi and Papa," I hope you'd tell your kids to do so. And at the same time, tell the kids that if they slip up and automatically say "grandma and grandpa," that's no big deal, and the elders will understand. But the kids should make an effort to call people what those people want to be called, even if it's a change.
+1
They have every right to determine how they wish to be addressed. Yes, even if they started as something else.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 21:17
Subject: Re:Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Mimi and Papa are not a Southern thing.
Agree. Not southern at all. MaMaw and PaPaw are southern. Although we are from Mississippi and our grandbaby calls us Grammy and Granddaddy.
I always thought it was a Jewish or maybe Yiddish thing. The branch of my family that is Jewish uses these names for the wife's parents.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 21:13
Subject: Re:Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Mimi and Papa are not a Southern thing.
Agree. Not southern at all. MaMaw and PaPaw are southern. Although we are from Mississippi and our grandbaby calls us Grammy and Granddaddy.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 21:10
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Why is this only a thing for grandparents to have a "name"?? Parents don't seem to have special names like this. IMO grandma and grandpa have a definition.
My MIL is trying for "Gigi" but that's a dog name in my opinion.
Interesting, all the gigi' I've know are only that name as great grandma's "GG"
Anonymous
12/05/2016 20:11
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
My FIL made a big deal out of what his name was, wanted me to have the right of refusal, heard that my parents "are allowed to pick first" because they are the maternal grandparents. I was polite but had to wonder what kind of drama went down in his friend's families if they'd filled his head with all that nonsense protocol.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 19:43
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
If it's the Williamsburg VA area, very trendy in the general area. Grandparents don't want to be seen as "old" and all four (or more) grandparents must have their own unique nickname.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 19:29
Subject: Re:Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Hi, Op
It may be strange but, I would start calling them the names they now want to be called. Think of a kid who was known as "Billy" and now wants to go as "Will" Would you be the one aunt or sister who insisted that they are "Billy" no matter what? But, they were Billy for twenty years!
Mind you, I wouldn't do what they are doing but, it doesn't hurt anyone and how often do you directly say, "Grandma, pass the salt?" If the kids mess up, than no biggie but, I would try to go with the flow.
OP here, thanks for the feedback. It is weird but if they want to be called Mimi and Papa. I am not going to fight it or encourage my kids to stay with Grandma/Grandpa. I have known them for more than half my life now and still don't get them. This is a minor thing, just funny.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 17:22
Subject: Re:Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Hi, Op
It may be strange but, I would start calling them the names they now want to be called. Think of a kid who was known as "Billy" and now wants to go as "Will" Would you be the one aunt or sister who insisted that they are "Billy" no matter what? But, they were Billy for twenty years!
Mind you, I wouldn't do what they are doing but, it doesn't hurt anyone and how often do you directly say, "Grandma, pass the salt?" If the kids mess up, than no biggie but, I would try to go with the flow.
It may be strange but, I would start calling them the names they now want to be called. Think of a kid who was known as "Billy" and now wants to go as "Will" Would you be the one aunt or sister who insisted that they are "Billy" no matter what? But, they were Billy for twenty years!
Mind you, I wouldn't do what they are doing but, it doesn't hurt anyone and how often do you directly say, "Grandma, pass the salt?" If the kids mess up, than no biggie but, I would try to go with the flow.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 17:17
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Why is this only a thing for grandparents to have a "name"?? Parents don't seem to have special names like this. IMO grandma and grandpa have a definition.
My MIL is trying for "Gigi" but that's a dog name in my opinion.
I think it's like all the millennial hipster dads wanting to be called "papa" instead or "dad" or "daddy". They want to seem cool, young and fresh and grandma and grandpa seems old to them.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 17:15
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
I find this amusing.
They didn't give an explanation?
They didn't give an explanation?
Anonymous
12/05/2016 15:29
Subject: Re:Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
My step-mother changed her "grandma name" at least three times, because she wanted to make sure it was one that my half-brother (her child) and his wife would use when they have kids. My eldest DS now just calls her "that lady with Pawpaw." I always correct him and chuckle a little bit internally, 
Anonymous
12/05/2016 15:25
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Why is this only a thing for grandparents to have a "name"?? Parents don't seem to have special names like this. IMO grandma and grandpa have a definition.
My MIL is trying for "Gigi" but that's a dog name in my opinion.
My MIL is trying for "Gigi" but that's a dog name in my opinion.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 15:23
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
My parents changed their names after my DC1 was born. They had older grandchildren who called the Grandma and Grandpa but my child went with another unusual term and it stuck.
Anonymous
12/05/2016 15:23
Subject: Grandma and Grandpa changed thier name to Mimi and Papa
Anonymous wrote:Do they have any new grandchildren? Plenty of grandparents are known by different names by different children's children. Eg., One set of cousins calls grandma Mimi and another Granny. Heck my kids insist on using different names for my MIL.
DH has two younger sisters with children the same ages as our two youngest kids. They also started out calling them Grandma and Grandpa years ago. One SIL has a MIL who goes by Mimi as well, but she has been going by that name since before SIL had her two kids. I suppose MIL could have borrowed the name from her, but I don't know. I guess the kids could have started calling her that too but where did Papa come from as SIL's MIL is a widow.