AIBU in thinking it's odd to call your MIL "Mum"

[Fabulous46]

My DIL is 4 days overdue and has asked to stay at ours for another week. This is no problem to us as DS is back to work tomorrow and I'll be around. It makes sense as she won't be alone if she goes into labour. I'm a bit uncomfortable though with being called "mum" in the last few days by her. I really do adore her, but, well, she has a mum doesn't she? She doesn't have a great relationship with her own mum. I wondered do any ladies call their MIL "mum"?

[AcrossthePond55]

Oh, how wonderful!!

Congratulations, Gran!!! Best wishes to the new parents and baby!

[Showy]

Brilliant, brilliant news. Congratulations and a very happy new year to you all.

[MammaTJ]

Aw, you sound such a lovely MIL, so worthy of the title of Mum! Enjoy!

[MasqueradeWaltzer]

My SIL calls my DM 'mum' and I think it's nice. Her own mother died when she was young.

But for us it's 'your mum' or their first name when we are talking to each other.

[2rebecca]

My stepkids don't call me mum so I'd found it odd if anyone other than my kids called me mum. My mum called my dad's mum "mam" where as my dad called his inlaws by their first names. My mum said my nana insisted on mam but she would have preferred first names. I thought it was an older generation thing and am surprised some younger people still do it. Only my mum got a mother's day card from me.

[cococandyfloss]

My BIL calls my mum and dad 'mum' and 'dad'. I like him but for some reason every time I hear him call them this it makes me cringe and want to shout they aren't your mum and dad they are my mum and dad!
My own husband calls them by name.

It also confuses me when he is telling me a story and says.. "and then mum said..." I takes me a bit to realise he is actually referring to my mum and not his own.

My parents did it but I think it is a generation thing-a lot less people do it now. (My sister and her husband are quite old fashioned)

[TheBooMonster]

My mum has always called my dads mum and dad mum and dad.

I do the same with my PiL sometimes, more in written form than out loud though. The way I look at it is when I married my husband I didn't just accept him into my life and family but his whole family and as I'm the one who puts the effort in with buying presents and cards writing their names rather than mum and dad seems incredibly formal

[WineWineWine]

Take it as a compliment. My DH calls my mum, mum - because he loves her.

My MIL wanted me to call her mum. I never could, I don't like her that much.

[wigglylines]

MIL signs cards to me as Mum sometimes.

I thought it was an old-fashioned thing to do too, I didn't take it as if she was trying to replace my real mum.

[however]

I think I'd quite like it if my future DIL thought enough of me to call me mum.

But if any of my kids call another woman 'mum', well, I'd hunt her down and kill her.

[Annietheacrobat]

Many congrats!

[Bulbasaur]

DH calls my mom "mom" but my dad by his first name or "hey you" to avoid the issue. He has a great relationship with my parents and they both treat him as one of their own. But he has terrible relationship with his own father, so calling someone else "dad" is a bit awkward for him.

Likewise, I don't call FIL "dad" and it feels weird and forced when I try. He's not my dad and he's not a second father to me. I have a good relationship with my father and don't need a second one in my life. I did call MIL "mom" though, she was a second mother to me.

[sykadelic]

I call my DH "dad/daddy" when talking to our dogs ("where's daddy?", "Go ask dad") and I expect I'll do the same when we have kids to reinforce the name so you could ask to be called Gran so little one knows that's your name (and not Mum or MIL).

To answer your question though, no, my MIL is by her first name. Sometimes I called her "mother-in-law" when talking about her to other people.