Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hate the term 'kids'...

85 replies

HeighHoHoHo · 11/12/2009 19:48

I never call my children 'kids' and slightly cringe inwardly if someone refers to my children as 'kids'.

Don't really know why I hate it so much, I just do...

Anyone else with me on this one?

OP posts:
IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 11/12/2009 22:18

No darling, i detest common people

brimfull · 11/12/2009 22:59

yis very 'hyacinth bouquet" to care about such trivial matters

scottishmummy · 11/12/2009 23:12

harrumphing about colloquialisms and decline makes me smell formaldehyde from the poster

SantaWears2shoes · 11/12/2009 23:16

sorry i like kids

frumpygrumpy · 11/12/2009 23:18

I regularly say "kids", I like it. Is it more a regional term? Its used in Scotland a lot.

jasmeeen · 11/12/2009 23:18

YABU - it's too trivial to get annoyed by

can understand the xmas card thing though - not being bothered to put the names is on the lazy side.

scottishmummy · 11/12/2009 23:20

well,i would say weans.

upahill · 11/12/2009 23:21

Nah I'v no problem with it. I refer to my two as either 'the lads' 'the boys' or 'the kids'

Now what I have a problem with, and it was touched on is being refered to, especially by strangers, as 'mum' I really want to poke someones eye out when they refer to me as that.

frumpygrumpy · 11/12/2009 23:24

I used weans too and I sign "the bairns" all the time Class!!!

poinsettydawg · 11/12/2009 23:30

No I do not have a problem with kids. Fancy pants.

Original poster
HeighHoHoHo · 12/12/2009 07:34

You are right, Ghouls, hate is too strong a word. Don't hate it really, just cringe because, to me, it sounds demeaning. I don't know why, it just does.

BTW I did not talk about decliine and common people. I have lots of posh friends who say 'kids', I think I am the only one in real life who doesn't, so it does not have those connotations for me.

OP posts:
Original poster
HeighHoHoHo · 12/12/2009 07:34

And, yes, I do have fancy pants

OP posts:
Original poster
HeighHoHoHo · 12/12/2009 07:40

Am also quite thrilled to hear that some others of you agree with me, really thought I was the only one

OP posts:
verytellytubby · 12/12/2009 07:40

"I imagine "kids" to be snotty-nosed, shaved-headed, tracksuit-wearing brats whose parents drag them round shopping centres for entertainment."

My kids don't own a tracksuit and all have long hair including my boys and I can't remember the last time I dragged them to a shopping centre.

SarfEasticated · 12/12/2009 08:49

I don't think of it a common thing either, makes me think of TV execs in the 70's trying to make their progs look 'wacky'!

Original poster
HeighHoHoHo · 12/12/2009 09:09

ha ha, and you are sarfeasticated, so you should know

OP posts:
SarfEasticated · 12/12/2009 09:22

true dat Heigh ho ho ho

lilyjen · 12/12/2009 09:36

YNBU

Spectroscopy · 12/12/2009 09:44

YABU

It is just so much quicker than children! I agree, children can sound quite formal. I do tend to use the word children more than kids though. I would never use kids in writing, not quite sure why. Either way it definately doesn't bother me.

saltyseadog · 12/12/2009 10:35

Disclaimer from SSD: To be fair, I would never write 'the kids'.

DecorHate · 12/12/2009 10:40

I always think it is very "English" to dislike the term "kids" - yet another thing to keep us forriners amused!

And also would far prefer that the vile man I saw shopping last weekend had referred to his toddler daughter as a kid than "arsewipe"

carocaro · 12/12/2009 11:10

I don't like it either, no idea why, I say children

CristinaTheAstonishing · 12/12/2009 13:45

"Am also quite thrilled to hear that some others of you agree with me, really thought I was the only one"

You can't have been on MN long enough then. It's a regular OP, every couple of months someone says how they dislike "kids" and the mind-boggling confusion with baby goats comes up. Shall I predict what you'll "discover" next on MN, social-class-wise?

said · 12/12/2009 13:49

Weird thing to dislike. Kids,Kids,Kids - Love it

vjg13 · 12/12/2009 13:55

I don't mind kids but really don't like my daughters being called 'the girls'. We even get cards from my SIL with that written on! Lazy B*tch