Parents Who Let Kids Call Them by Their First Names Are Giving Up Something Special
I was chatting with another mom friend recently when the topic of kids who call their parents by their first names -- you know, instead of "mom" or "dad." We both agreed that it's sort of cute
when little kids fall into the habit accidentally, like a 2-year-old
cousin of mine who used to call her dad "Bill." There was just something
hilarious about the way her odd choice played into everyday
conversation: "And then I went to the park with Mommy and Bill, and then
Bill pushed me on the swing, and then Mommy said no ice cream but Bill
said okay!"
If you didn't know better, you'd wonder if maybe Mommy wasn't having an affair with this "Bill" character. Anyway, we also agreed that hearing a teen calling her dad "Bill" (or her mom "Kate" or whatever) is a different sort of animal altogether. I'm not sure how I would feel about my 11-year-old, for example, calling me by my first name. On the one hand, what's the big deal?
What difference does it really make? On the other, it's the kind of seemingly trivial thing that can end up meaning so much more.
Some parents I know would take their kid calling them by name as a sign of disrespect, which I guess I understand. But for me, I think it would be more about ... loss. Like being demoted, or something. When you think about it, you're going to call pretty much every single person you meet in your entire life by name. Besides teachers, doctors, dentists, police officers and people in the military or clergy, that is. And even then, there's the possibility of overlap. You might meet more than one Mr. Franklin or Dr. Shapiro over the years ... but in the vast majority of cases, you only get one (maybe two) people designated as Mom or Dad.
I don't want to miss out on being one of those people, especially when I already am one of those people. If you know what I mean. I had the kids. I am a mom. I am THEIR mom. If the shoe fits, call a spade a spade? Oh, you know what I mean.
Would you let your kids call you by your name?
Our kids do it sometimes, but they know it bugs us so I think that's why lol. I think it's important for them to know your name though, and them calling you that for a while when they're 2 or 3 is okay, kind of like repeating facts to remember them, because at least they know in case something happens like they wander off in a store and need to get help to find you.
No. Right now DD is 2 and does it sometimes to get our attention, but she doesn't call us by our first names otherwise. I think there's something special in being called "mom" or "dad" too and would hate to lose that.
My oldest is on her 2nd stepfather now, so she calls my husband by his first name - everyone else calls him "Dad" or "Daddy". I wouldn't want my kids to call me anything but Mom, though...
My 8 year old calls me by my first name sometimes. He calls me mommythe majority of the time, but calls me by my first when he wants something lol
I don't mind, it is my name. Everyone else uses it so why shouldn't they?
They have used it in the past but always go back to calling me "mom or mommy".
S/o What would you do if you found out your 17yo had sex?
CafeMom's "Unofficial Start of Summer" Party has begun!  Celebrate with us by joining in our fun ga
- Cafe Steph
on Jan. 24, 2013 at 1:54 PM