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AIBU?

To not want to call inlaws 'mum' and 'dad'

88 replies

lazycoconutree · 16/12/2012 14:36

that's it really...
I don't have the best relationship with inlaws but it's not too bad either.
But I won't call mil mum, she isn't my mum and I feel only my mum deserves that title! Ditto with my dad....!
So I'm wondering what everyone out there calls their inlays?

OP posts:
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jinglebellyalltheway · 16/12/2012 14:37

who does that? (apart from in American movies)
I don't know anyone that does that!
I call them by their first names to their faces and MIL/FIL or first name when talking about them to others

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kinkyfuckery · 16/12/2012 14:37

Who wants you to call them mum and dad?

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VikingLady · 16/12/2012 14:38

I call them by name! It got easier after DD was born. I only see them with DD and can call them Grandma and Grandpa.

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MoonlightMerrimentandMistletoe · 16/12/2012 14:38

I just use their first names - thought that was standard nowadays. Definitely would be v.odd, even though I get on v. well with them, to use 'mum' & 'dad' - they're not.

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ChristmasInValhalla · 16/12/2012 14:40

I've never known anyone to call their in-laws 'mum' and 'dad' - surely you'd just call them by their name?!

Agree - have only seen it in films!

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threesypeesy · 16/12/2012 14:42

I call my inlaws by there name, i have a great relationship with them but like you my mum and dad are the only ones i would give that title too

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WinkyWinkola · 16/12/2012 14:43

To me, it's weird.

My pil wanted me to call them mum and dad. Pil called their pil mum and dad. I was a bit abrupt and said I already have a mum and dad.

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JimbosJetSet · 16/12/2012 14:46

Same as Winky... I'm not going to call them Mum and Dad as much as I like them, so I try to avoid having to call them anything at all in their presence (10 years in!)

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TrillsCarolsOutOfTune · 16/12/2012 14:48

I think saying she doesn't "deserve" it is a bit odd.

But YANBU to not want to call them mum and dad.

Are they insisting that you do?

Or have they just said that you can if you want and you have overreacted?

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MrsTerrysChocolateOrange · 16/12/2012 14:50

My MIL asked me to call her Mum. I 'forgot' to for 8 years.

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peaceandlovebunny · 16/12/2012 14:52

don't do it.

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fluffydressinggown · 16/12/2012 14:52

I call them by their first names, wouldn't occur to me (or them) do do any differently.

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Walnutcakelover · 16/12/2012 14:54

Who is asking you to call them mum and dad, is it your oh? I know that in the Indian culture it is common to call your in laws mum and dad.

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NaokHoHoHo · 16/12/2012 14:54

I wouldn't either. I think it's a generational thing to some extent, my parents do/did call eachothers PIL mum and dad, but they would never expect my DP to do it to them.

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GrimAndHumourlessAndEven · 16/12/2012 14:54

no don't it. that's a bit weird

who is asking you to? them?

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turkeyboots · 16/12/2012 14:55

I'm the only one who doesn't use Mum and Dad at my inlaws (and they are divorced and married again so are 4 of them). It get confusing as DH and I, SiL and her DH are clearly Mum and Dad to our DCs. DH, SiL and her DH and the 3 younger siblings all call MiL and FiL's (all 4 of them) Mum and Dad. AND to make it worse, the inlaws parents are all refered to as Mum and Dad. So I generally have no idea who is being talked about.

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Themumsnotroastingonanopenfire · 16/12/2012 14:55

I wasn't given permission to call my PIL by their first names until we were engaged. I had to call them Mrs Mumsnotshusband and Mr Mumsnothusband until then. I don't think either party would be comfortable with Mum and Dad. And my mum would go ballistic if she thought I was calling someone else Mum.

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SPsFanjoIsSantasLittleHoHoHo · 16/12/2012 14:57

I never did.

My mum called my dad's father dad though as she didn't have her dad around and he was like a father to her

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TeeElfOnTeeShelf · 16/12/2012 14:58

Then don't.

Is this really an issue?

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StellaNova · 16/12/2012 15:00

My mum and dad used to call each others mum and dad "mum and dad".

So I thought I would too when I got married. But it seems too weird, so like Jimbo I avoid calling MiL anything!

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NamingOfParts · 16/12/2012 15:01

I think that my PiL would like me to call them Mum & Dad. DFiL phoned up and said 'Hello, it's Dad' a few days after my own father had died. I was rather short with him that day.

I call them by their first names. If we had a distant relationship then I would call them Mr & Mrs.

To call them Mum & Dad would feel as though I had a child/parent relationship with them. In my area I think that calling PiL Mum & Dad is fairly normal but would feel wrong to me.

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TwitchyTail · 16/12/2012 15:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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Viviennemary · 16/12/2012 15:08

No I personally wouldn't as they are not my Mum and Dad. But if other people want to do that and are comfortable with it then that's up to them.

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Selim · 16/12/2012 15:08

I call mine the equivalent of mum and dad in their native language. Before we were married I called them Auntie and uncle.

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FryOneFatChristmasTurkey · 16/12/2012 15:09

I call MIL by her first name, never been an issue, but it is "to Mum" in the Christmas/brithday cards from us all.

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