Poll: Prefer to be called Christian name or Mrs by children

[Mrsredoneslast]

By request.
Do you prefer to be called by your christian name or by your "title"..Mrs, Ms etc...by children (acquiantances's children/ dc's school friends etc)

So which

A)christian name

or

B) "title"
?

First name.

A. I was so pleased when I switched from being a teacher to a role in school where kids call me by my Christian name, although being kids they mostly go for 'Miss' anyway When I'm feeling pedantic I say 'actually, it's Ms'. Some of the lower ability kids can't seem to separate the job title from me so they call me 'job title', kind of like calling someone 'teacher' (which they do in some languages, but it sounds odd in English).

I still call older people (my grandparents age, so at least 2 generations older than me) by title and surname, unless they really insist.

I completely agree with the previous poster though who dislikes being called by firstname by cold callers. What really winds me up is the American style full name, e.g. 'Hello Fink McFink, we'd like to offer you, Fink McFink, this wonderful opportunity. It's tailored just for you, Fink McFink...' Sod off! I'm not going to bu whatever it is anyway, I'm only waiting for you to draw breath so that I can say no and hang up, you're only annoying me more by this constant repetition of my whole name.

A

Because I don't believe children are inferior to adults and if I call them by their first name, then they should be able to call me by mine. It's ludicrous to expect them to treat you with more respect than you treat them, especially when the only thing you have got to demand their respect is age.

A definitely.

I teach, so being known as Mrs x would make me feel like I was still at work.

Happy for all kids to call me by my first name. Don't think there is anything disrespectful about it.

My mum tries to get the DCs to call her friends "Mrs" so-and-so - and inevitably Mrs so-and-so will smile and say "oh, Mary, please" or whatever, and my mum will look a little put out!

A

I would never have called an adult by their first name when I was a child.

A 3yo addressed me by my first name a while ago and I was actually really shocked. Her mum had told her what my name was. I didn't mind really, it just made me cringe a bit. DS's best friend calls me aunty x.

My mum's friend (who has been a family friend since before I was born) we'll call her Sally - I still call her Aunty Sally now and I am in my 30s and she is in her 60s! I couldn't call her just Sally, it would be weird.

Overall, I don't really take offence but I do find first names a bit odd and I have never allowed my 2 (they are 4 and 2) to call any adult by their first name, unless preceded by aunt/uncle etc.

Having said that, I also find it odd when adults call me Mrs X, particularly adults that are older than me.

So you can't win! Ask the person in question what they want to be called.

First name.

Both saying 'Christian name' and calling friends' parents Mr and Mrs was old- fashioned when I was a kid, let alone now.

really? every form I seem to fill in has christian name written on it.

generally first name, I am rarely called by my surname by anyone.
personally I really dislike "aunty/uncle" (unless they actually are), I had some friends as a child who did that and I found it really odd back then.

Mrs.

I loathe it when children presume that they can call me by my first name.

I do not want a six year old tripping up to me in the playground and yelling "Hello Nancy" (nancy is for illustrative purposes only )

When children ask me what my name is, I say "Mrs X" when I talk about my husband to them - ie answering the question where is he or something, I refer to him as Mr X"

I also make my children call adults Mrs/Mr/Ms

It is not just children. I do not expect to be called by my first name by adults either - doctor, hospital, man from the gas board...

I am old fashioned you call me by my first name only after I have specifically invited you to do so. Otherwise, it's Mrs.

buddy, same as you, I always (and my children now do) call others' Mums 'Auntie'...I thought it was a Welsh thing..but maybe other parts of the country also use it?
Other children usually call me 'DC's Mum'..although DS1's friends are now entering the monosyllabic grunting stage.

hecate that is exactly how i feel about it

I grew up in a culture where children call adults Auntie xxx or Uncle xxx as a sign of respect. I will be continuing this with my DS when he is old enough to talk.

Neither? That doesn't work though does it? A then I suppose. B sounds weirder. Can I just ban them from addressing me directly?

I've managed to go nearly 25 years calling my MIL 'DH's Mum' though (not to her face, I'm very good at avoiding using her name as I swear I can't say it properly, hate using the Anglicised version and it just feels odd)

I think I might have 'issues'

A

A

I prefer to be called by my first name. Mrs Ginger is my MIL. Ask my MIL the same question and she will give you the same answer.

There are a couple of children of close friends who call my Auntie Ginger. And my children call my close friends Auntie or Uncle, in my opinion Auntie or Uncle signifies a more close personal relationship.

My children call most adults by their first name. They are incredibly polite and well mannered children, they don't need to call someone Mr or Mrs to show them respect.

DH though would prefer all children to call him Mr Ginger!

Forename. I don't answer to Mrs and plenty of adults have trouble getting their mouths round Ms, never mind children.

I don't mind being referred to as DD's-mummy, but don't like being called by it! Though I have got into the habit of referring to people as Forename-DC's-mum and similar - mostly down to DH's utter inability to remember who anyone is.

A

B

We are trying to instill this in our children as well to show respect for their elders but very hard when everyone says use first name. Actually no my child iOS not your equal, you are senior to them so they should respect that and be polite. Really annoys me when people also say oh they can call me aunty X - um no you are not a relative, godparent or even a longstanding friend so no my child won't call you aunty X
My job means the children often meet people from my work who would expect to be addressed by their title even by me therefore they must learn and one rule for all is easier instead of expecting them to try and differntiate between friends and my work.

A- I don't live in the 1950's.

I can't imagine any form having the term 'Christian name' these days on it unless it was something to do with a Christian Church.

Lots of people don't have Christian names.

For example Me (atheist)
Muslims
Jews
Buddists
Mormons
Hindus

The list goes on

Oh, it's definitely not generational.

I'm 23 and have never in my entire life called an adult by their first name (unless, for example, they were wearing a name badge that only said their first name andI had to reference them).

I would be mortified if my child didn't think the title default. However, if the adult corrects them with their first name, not a problem.

Heck, I met my fiance's grandmother and mother only last summer and still called them Ms X until told otherwise. Even when referring to other adults in their family I would say 'and that's what Mr Y went to the supermarket'.

I too can't stand being 'Spenguin' in business contexts. My estate agent e-mailed 'Spenguin' the other day. I just hit reply and annotated his e-mail with a 'By the way, we've never met and I could be 95 for all you know. So, 'Mrs Spenguin', if you wouldn't mind'

However, the title thing has its problems too - i.e. when you only now someone's first and last names. Do you use Ms or Mrs or Miss. God knows people get uppity about 'Ms'!

*sorry, probably should have read 'never in my entire life called an adult stranger...'