A lot of kids go through phases when they call their parents by their first names. It's kind of a novelty thing that seems to relate to the sense of differentiation happening throughout childhood - "mom and dad aren't just mom and dad, they have names and are separate from me."

My younger kid did this. My older kid did not. They have both gone through various mama-mommy-mom-ma evolutions, which have not bothered me. I call my mom "mom" unless I'm talking about her to/with the kids, when I call her "granny" so they know who I'm talking about. It never occurred to me to be sensitive about what they called me.

If step kids, I would absolutely let them call by my first name if they wanted. If no kid I’d be confused and probably tell them I preferred mom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:using the terms “mother,” and “father” to describe parenthood, excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries.

In other words, using “mother” or “father” is transphobic.

+1000

my 2 y.o. uses mama and daddy interchangeably for me. I answer to both . (Would prefer though that she use ima/abba but I'll take what I can get. )

I call my parents by their first names. I don't think they cared and I wouldn't care.

To the PP who at 52 still uses mom and dad that seems so WEIRD to me. I haven't used mommy and daddy since I was a child. I can't imagine using those terms now.

You’ve never heard anyone say Mom or Dad?

I'm almost 50 and I'm rarely with people who are also with their parents. So no I can't recall that I have experienced an adult addressing their parents as mom and dad. First names seem more respectful at some point once you are an adult.

I will add that I now sometimes refer to them as Oma and Opa for the sake of my 2 year old (feels a little weird to me). My dad has tried to get her to say his first name but she can't speak well enough for that so I think it the preference of my parents to be called by their first names. I'm willing to accept that it is my parents who are weird and that has skewed what seems normal to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:using the terms “mother,” and “father” to describe parenthood, excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries.

In other words, using “mother” or “father” is transphobic.

+1000

my 2 y.o. uses mama and daddy interchangeably for me. I answer to both . (Would prefer though that she use ima/abba but I'll take what I can get. )

I call my parents by their first names. I don't think they cared and I wouldn't care.

To the PP who at 52 still uses mom and dad that seems so WEIRD to me. I haven't used mommy and daddy since I was a child. I can't imagine using those terms now.

You’ve never heard anyone say Mom or Dad?

I'm almost 50 and I'm rarely with people who are also with their parents. So no I can't recall that I have experienced an adult addressing their parents as mom and dad. First names seem more respectful at some point once you are an adult.

I went through a phase where I called my parents by their first names- for months, I must’ve been 6? We have an excellent relationship and I turned out a productive member of society. My parents never fixated on this.

Anonymous wrote:My son called us by our first names for awhile when he was 2. We didn't care and eventually he stopped. Our neighbors (in the south) thought it was the heighth of insubordination and probably thought we were bohemian wack jobs as a result. We weren't and we also didn't care about that.

My brother called our mother by her first name when he was in his 40s but there was no disrespect intended, he treated her very lovingly as well, and she didn't mind what he called her.

People there tend to view their children as property they own. Just like in the old South.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:using the terms “mother,” and “father” to describe parenthood, excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries.

In other words, using “mother” or “father” is transphobic.

+1000

my 2 y.o. uses mama and daddy interchangeably for me. I answer to both . (Would prefer though that she use ima/abba but I'll take what I can get. )

I call my parents by their first names. I don't think they cared and I wouldn't care.

To the PP who at 52 still uses mom and dad that seems so WEIRD to me. I haven't used mommy and daddy since I was a child. I can't imagine using those terms now.

You’ve never heard anyone say Mom or Dad?

Odd. Who calls their parents by their first names? Never heard of this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:using the terms “mother,” and “father” to describe parenthood, excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries.

In other words, using “mother” or “father” is transphobic.

+1000

my 2 y.o. uses mama and daddy interchangeably for me. I answer to both . (Would prefer though that she use ima/abba but I'll take what I can get. )

I call my parents by their first names. I don't think they cared and I wouldn't care.

To the PP who at 52 still uses mom and dad that seems so WEIRD to me. I haven't used mommy and daddy since I was a child. I can't imagine using those terms now.

Wut

My son called us by our first names for awhile when he was 2. We didn't care and eventually he stopped. Our neighbors (in the south) thought it was the heighth of insubordination and probably thought we were bohemian wack jobs as a result. We weren't and we also didn't care about that.

My brother called our mother by her first name when he was in his 40s but there was no disrespect intended, he treated her very lovingly as well, and she didn't mind what he called her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:using the terms “mother,” and “father” to describe parenthood, excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries.

In other words, using “mother” or “father” is transphobic.

+1000

my 2 y.o. uses mama and daddy interchangeably for me. I answer to both . (Would prefer though that she use ima/abba but I'll take what I can get. )

I call my parents by their first names. I don't think they cared and I wouldn't care.

To the PP who at 52 still uses mom and dad that seems so WEIRD to me. I haven't used mommy and daddy since I was a child. I can't imagine using those terms now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:using the terms “mother,” and “father” to describe parenthood, excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries.

In other words, using “mother” or “father” is transphobic.

+1000

my 2 y.o. uses mama and daddy interchangeably for me. I answer to both . (Would prefer though that she use ima/abba but I'll take what I can get. )

I call my parents by their first names. I don't think they cared and I wouldn't care.

Anonymous wrote:Each of my kids went through a phase in preschool, and again in elementary school, where they called us by our first names. It was cute, like they were trying on the idea of "mom" and "dad" being human people.

We didn't make a big deal about it and they lost interest after a week or so. Will probably do the same if it comes back in the teen years.

This more or less. Nbd

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What if they prefer to call you by your first names?

Note: I am not talking about what to call relatives/neighbors/friends etc. I already know the answer to that.

Um yea, I don't really care what they "prefer" here. I'm the parent and my child is not going to call me by my first name. Over and done.

+1 enough already

I’ve never once called my parents by their first name. 52 y.o.