The other night we were visiting with a friend during dinner at his house, when my eight year old son jumped into the conversation and called our 39 year old friend by his first name. It was something along the lines of, “Sure, Chad.”
Although we allow the kids to call our oldest friends by their first name, we have a rule that most people go by Mr. or Mrs. followed by their last name. It keeps things easy and consistent.
My husband quickly corrected our boy and said, “You need to address adults as Mr. or Mrs., buddy. It shows respect.”
And, as our son turned to leave the room he rolled his eyes at his dad, let out a big sigh and said, “Whatever, Mike.”
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Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups
Kids!! Too funny!
Irish Gumbo
He didn't put his thumb and index finger up on his forehead, did he?
Ouch.
Zoeyjane
Heh. We're your opposites. I remember the first time Zoë called me by my name in the line-up for preschool. I swear, eyeballs hit the floor.
Heather
hahaha that's too cute! 🙂 we had the same kinda rule growing up– my BFF's parents went by their first name but the rest of the people i knew that were older where "mr & mrs" unless it was specified otherwise!
Goober Daisy
Your child absolutely kills me! He is such a stinkin' trip and I love it 🙂
WeaselMomma
That kid never fails to crack me up!
Jodi
*Snicker*
Tom
Wow. 8 going on 16. Either that or he watched an old episode of The Brady Bunch and is patterning himself after Greg.
Amie
I still call my friends' parents Mr. and Mrs. However, PLEASE don't let your kids call me Mrs. Horan…
mrsmouthy
Did you tell your son it's MISTER Mike to him?
UP
I'm big on Mr. and Mrs. Yes Sir and Yes Ma'am, etc. But, our Elementary Principal and his wife lived across the street from us while growing UP. They still live there. He was ALWAYS Mr. Slone. She was ALWAYS Hazel…at her insistance…I think if I'd called her Mrs. Slone, she would have ignored me. There are always special cases..
But you're so right about strangers…and your kid cracks me UP!
UP
meleah rebeccah
I friggen LOVE your son!
Kim - Mommycosm
He's a hoot!
This made me think of softball. When I first started coaching high school softball, the kids were required to call me "Coach Grenon." I hated it. I kept looking around for my father-in-law.
I agree there needs to be a line of respect. The last couple of years, I've transitioned to "Coach Kim." It works. They never, ever just say Kim though.
AlisonH
In California, a lot of kids expect to be able to call you by your first name, and culturally, for me, that's just wrong. I make a point of correcting them but being friendly, figuring if nothing else I'm teaching them about people who are different from them. I'm nice–but I'm Mrs. Hyde, thank you, sweetie.
Ang
Ha! What a trip!
My kids born and spending several years in the south learned to call adults by Mr/Miss/ms and their first name, unless it was a teacher or new acquaintance, it was last names until the person ok'd to use first name.
Living in the north now for 4 years, they still do it…which I think is great, but their friends here (and friends' parents) totally do not get it and look at them like they've lost their minds.
Makes me miss the South.
john cave osborne
we struggle with that — the whole first name thing. there are certain friends whose names we don't even require pookie to preface w/ mr. or ms.
which is weird, maybe even inconsistent. b/c if anything, i'm a bit old school when it comes to kids and respect.
funny story…
Matty
I was raised back in the day. Yeah, I'm that old. And we were taught that all adults outside the family were to be addressed as Mr/Mrs/Miss, and within the family as aunt/uncle. I think it's slowly graduated to the point where many, if not most, kids simply address adults by their first name, because their parent did it when they were growing up. It's almost becoming he norm these days. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the simple display of respect.
However, that being said, "whatever Mike" is just plain funny.
Marinka
So, so funny! Our kids call everyone by their first names. But they have other ways to show true disrespect.
Mrs4444
OMG-That's hilarious.
My, aren't YOU popular this week! TWO Saturday Sampling links! Thanks for being so entertaining 🙂
KWG
*smack* Maybe not literally, but still. *smack*
And then, "That's Mr. Mike to you, son."
😉
Oscar
I could read your posts all day. 🙂
That boy is a hoot. Guess he got it from him mom.
Davina
LOL – We have the same rule except we allow them to call them by their first name but it is always MR. or Mrs.
Rachel
bwahahaaaaaaaa
awesome.
We do the same.. Mrs. Rachel.. Mr. Nathan.. etc….
Love your kiddos
WebSavvyMom
–>In Virginia, it's Miss and Mr if my child is addresses My friends. Otherwise, it's Mr and Mrs. Last Name.
When I was in high school, my friends and I LOVED to refer to our parents by their first names but NEVER to their faces.
~deb
http://www.websavvymom.com