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It would depend on the setting. In the neighborhood, probably not. On base when faced with someone in uniform, absolutely.
That makes more sense. I was thinking you meant in the neighborhood. If my neighbor happens to be a Colonel, but we socialize with his family in a casual way, I wouldn't expect neighbor children to call him Colonel Smith - unless of course that's what he indicated (which I would find unusual based on my personal experience). If we were on base for a particular event and introduced to someone in uniform, I would absolutely be addressing him/her by the appropriate title.
This is SUCH a regional thing. Living in the northeast, children of my very good friends generally called me by my first name. In southern FL, it was Mrs. Mattie. Now in GA, it is usually Miss first name. I don't really care. I find them all respectful.
My younger kids use an honorific and last name, like Mr. Lee or Mrs. Jones, or sometimes Miss Joann or Mr. John if they are invited to do so (common in daycare). My older kid knows to start out that way with her friends' parents and other adults, but if they invite her to use their first name, I am fine with it. So far, no adult has said, "Oh, you can just call me Susan" to the younger ones.
Aunts and uncles are Aunt Kate and Uncle Joe. I was raised that way, and both my uncles tease me because I call them Uncle out of habit. I say, "Hi, Uncle Rick!" and they say, "Hi, Niece Julia!"
My children call my cousins Aunt and Uncle, although that's incorrect, and their children do the same.
Our kids call adults Mr / Mrs / Miss last name.
Other kids by their first name.
Kids that come to our place have to call me Mr and my wife Mrs.
Our kids call me dad or daddy and my wife mum or mummy.
Uncles and aunts are uncle first name and aunty first name
plus there are some close adults that are also uncle first name or aunty first name even though they are not actually related by blood or marriage.
The key thing we are trying to instill in them is respect.
Personally I would like to see our kids call me sir and my wife 'mam' but my wife was not comfortable with that and so they only use those terms when they are in trouble.
I have asked that my daughter, on first meeting someone, to address them as Mr/Mrs/Miss Lastname. If they at that time say Oh call me Laura, then that is what she can call them. Most all my friends she calls by thier first names. We had an old neighbor that told her kids to call us miss laura and my husband mr firstname, I was uncomfortable with it so I asked them to just call me Laura and they told me they couldn't. I understand trying to teach your children manners, but when they are asked, they and you as the parent should comply with the request.
My daughter addresses family as Auntie firstname or Uncle firstname.
It is disrespectful for a child to address an adult by their first name, unless it's either a family member or the person they are addressing instructs otherwise.
It is disrespectful for a child to address an adult by their first name, unless it's either a family member or the person they are addressing instructs otherwise.
I don't think it's disrespectful exactly, if the adult asks them to do it. But to me it seems rather overly familiar.
I absolutely loathe being called Mrs LastName or Miss FirstName, and my choice would be for everyone to call be FirstName...but....here that is a very big NoNo. My nieces and nephews and children of close friends call me FirstName. My children call people Mr/Mrs LastName, unless they know them very well, and then it's Miss/Mr FirstName. I don't like it, but it's expected and considered polite here.
My bug-bear, and something I consider way more important is the manner in which a greeting is conveyed. I consider it polite to make eye contact, stand still, and wait for people to answer if the person being greeted is not very familiar.
The name thing is a bit complicated in that my last name is different to that of my DH and kids, but I really don't care what people call me as long as it's polite.
Last edited by Zimbochick; 07-06-2011 at 07:14 PM..
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