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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aunty/Uncle Everyone

34 replies

docket · 16/11/2009 16:38

This is very trivial and I don't even really know why it annoys me but:

DH has this weird habit of turning almost everyone we know into 'Aunty/Uncle' so and so ("Say thanks to Aunty x" etc). I don't mind it when good friends are involved, the kind of people we might well ask to be godparents if we were to get the DC christened for example. But he seems to do it to everyone, for example a woman he used to work with who I barely know and the DC have met (briefly) twice.

Is this a bit weird? Or AIBU?

OP posts:
claw3 · 17/11/2009 09:44

Docket, i would agree calling strangers auntie/uncle is a bit over familiar imo.

thesecondcoming · 17/11/2009 09:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Emprexia · 17/11/2009 09:59

calling everyone aunty/uncle is odd.

It should just be for godparents or very close friends of the parents.

The only exception we make is for my DC's cousins.. we let DS call them aunt/uncle because some of his cousins have children older than he is!

We'll explain when he's old enough to understand the dynamics of his dad being the baby in a family of 9 that spanned 20 years in age difference, lol!

angel1976 · 17/11/2009 10:00

I grew up in SE Asia and it is polite to address anyone who is senior to you (in terms of generational seniority) as Uncle xxx or Auntie xxx. When I first moved to a Western country, I found the absence of that mark of respect rude and even ruder that some people call their parents or relatives just by their first name!

It doesn't bother me anymore, DH is British so I am well accustomed to it now (and trust me, it's taken a few 'faux pas' to get there including how rude his parents used to think I am because I would help myself to food in the fridge without asking! In my defence, my parents operate a open house policy, anyone is free to come visit without advance notice and help themselves to anything in the fridge...).

But I still ask that DS1 address close friends and relatives as Uncles and Aunties. To me, it's a way of life and like Sparkle say, a sign of affection and closeness so YABU and NBU at the same time as I see both points!

NotsoDH · 17/11/2009 10:16

Sparkle, maybe I came across too strong. Soz. But this thing really bugs me. I would hate to be called Uncle x. Equally, I would not like it if DS called his friend's mum Auntie y. I think it is important to delineate between family and friends. I don't see a problem with children addressing adults by their first names when they are familiar with them. Certainly saying Mr or Mrs when first meeting or for older people is more correct.

How is the economy going to support all these extra Aunties and Uncles? My nieces told me the other day that they are looking to downsize and my position is not guaranteed

sparkle12mar08 · 17/11/2009 10:31

Funnily enough, the husbands of 'aunties' were rarely 'uncles'. Thinking back I'm not sure why, except that mostly we only saw the aunties and had much less to do with 'uncles'. If it's any help I would always ask people what they prefer to be called and if it is by first names then that's what we do. It's about respecting your wishes, and if you had wanted to be called uncle, you can be sure my mum would have chewed my ear off if I forgot!! Big on respect, my mum

ginnny · 17/11/2009 10:40

I don't get not wanting dc to call adults by their first names. It really doesn't bother me but then we all use first names in our family, except for grandparents/parents.
My friend insists her dc call me "Auntie" and I hate it. It makes me feel ancient, even my own niece and nephew don't call me that!

rasputin · 17/11/2009 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlingLoving · 17/11/2009 10:53

Where I grew up it was Uncle and Aunty for everyone who was a family friend and Mr and Mrs for everyone else. Personally, I'm not wild about the Aunty thing but I notice that other South African close friends with children have started referring to me and DH as Uncle and Aunty Bling. I could live without that, but will accept it until he child is old enough for ME to tell him/her what I prefer to be called. For now, I accept that it's the parents who make the decision.

My neices and nephews call me Bling but I notice in 3rd party communication I'm "Aunty Bling". Which makes me laugh actually.

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