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Original poster

My toddler calls me Mum - it's not fair!

41 replies

Lionstar · 19/01/2009 21:30

DD 23 months has recently started calling us "Mum" and "Dad" - completely out of the blue. I want to jump up and down and shout "My name is Mummy". "Mum" just sounds too grown up, she isn't even 2 yet, but it even sounds like a impatient, sceptical teenager tone at times. Anyone elses toddler do this - do they grow out if it? (hopes in vain)

it just isn't fair

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GrimbleTheResourceful · 19/01/2009 21:32

Yes, DS has suddenly started calling me Mummy.

He's 9.5

2pt4kids · 19/01/2009 21:32

My DS did it for the first time today. He is 3.3 yrs.
I have to say I did a double take!
I expect he picked it up at school. I hope it doesnt stick!
My nephew still calls my brother Daddy at age 8, which is lovely, although my friends DD has called her Mum for ages already and she's not even 3 yet!

MrsDoylesMole · 19/01/2009 21:33

My just turned 3 year old said to me today
"I tell you what!,i'm going to get very annoyed in a minute"

can't think where she's heard that?

Mum and Dad is merely the beginning.

rubyslippers · 19/01/2009 21:33

LOL!

DS calls us mum and dad too (he is 2.5 years)

it just sounds so grown up

I will wail with you

rempy · 19/01/2009 21:33

My 2 year old has taken to calling us "silly mummy" and "silly daddy". Or by our christian names.

So be careful what you wish for!!

MrsHappy · 19/01/2009 21:33

My DD (2.5) does it too. I blame Charlie and Lola.

preggersplayspop · 19/01/2009 21:34

My DS has started calling us mum and dad.

He's 20 months, I feel robbed!

He sometimes calls us by our first names as well, which makes us fall about laughing.

pgwithnumber3 · 19/01/2009 21:34

Count yourself lucky, at nearly 2 my nephew called his Mum by her first name, Anne. He would never ever call her Mummy or even Mum. It was so funny to hear him shout "Anne"!

Horton · 19/01/2009 21:38

Mine does it too. It's MIL's fault, the utter bitch. She also calls us by our first names but I find that hilarious.

ElfOnTheTopShelf · 19/01/2009 21:38

I dont answer when she calls me mum. I politely say "excuse me?" and she'll then say mummy. Its only because she hears children at the childminders calling their parents mum / dad given that they are older.

ChasingSquirrels · 19/01/2009 21:38

my ds1 first called me mum at 3y4m - the week after ds2 was born. It only lasted a few weeks and now at 6yo he uses both mum and mummy.

Horton · 19/01/2009 21:39

I mean my daughter calls us by our first names. My MIL calls us Mum and Dad which drives me crazy.

Wheelybug · 19/01/2009 21:40

My dd (4) sometimes calls me Mum... sometimes she calls me Mamma(which she knows really winds me up !). I think she does it on purpose so I try not to react or only respond if she reverts to mummy. She seems to go through phases though.

BlueCowBackToWondering · 19/01/2009 21:41

mine use mum/ mummy / MumEEE (cross voice) or my first name. Bit wierd to hear my dd calling out my name at first - wanted to explain to everyone in the park that she really was mine! To be honest, I quite like the fact that there aren't barriers.

seeker · 19/01/2009 21:41

I really don't get this. What's wrong with mum and dad?

Original poster
Lionstar · 19/01/2009 21:42

Oh we do get the first name thing to, mostly for DP. She stands at the bottom of the stairs yelling his name to get his attention (I suspect she picked that up from me though ). She also rather charmingly called him "My Daddy" for many months (just Dad now though).

I hadn't thought of the Charlie & Lola angle - she does watch them daily.

OP posts:
noonki · 19/01/2009 21:43

My Ds1 one did this and we jsut kept up with saying stuff like 'can you give that to mummy...'

and he reverted back

Mind I refuse to actually refer to DH as Daddy. As in 'Daddy can you make me a cup of tea' that is just bleugh

They both call me 'noonki' quite a lot but that's because DSS does

that makes us all laugh.

ilovemydogandMrObama · 19/01/2009 21:43

DD calls me mum mum

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 19/01/2009 21:45

I actually used to prefer Mum to Mummy. DS always caleed me Mum until he heard some whiney kid in M+S saying Mummy, Mummy, Mummy (in that infuriating way that toddlers often do!)and since then he's called me Mummy! I have to say that I have grown rather fond of it now though so hope he doesn't swap back!

Original poster
Lionstar · 19/01/2009 21:45

seeker - it's just that I'm so charmed by being somebody's Mummy, feels so warm and cosy . The way "Mum" comes out just seems too grown up for such a tiny child, too knowing, too cynical.

Am I reading too much into this??

OP posts:
Horton · 19/01/2009 21:46

"What's wrong with mum and dad?"

Nothing. But I prefer mummy and daddy from small children. It's inevitable that I'll be Mum one day but personally I'd prefer to postpone that as long as I can.

Nemoandthefishes · 19/01/2009 21:46

dd2 [just 2] calls me mum..could be worse DD1[3.1] calls me michelle so I just look like a childminder

seeker · 19/01/2009 21:53

Now I REALLY don't like children calling their parents by their first names! Mum, dad, mummy, daddy, ma, pa,mamma, papa - all fine. Fred and Mabel - all wrong and can only lead to the breakdown of society.

Leo9 · 19/01/2009 21:58

I just love whatever DS calls me. Because whether it's mummy, mama, gaga, mum, or my first name, or even stupid-head, it's coming just from him and his mind and his thoughts and I just love that he is his own person

Horton · 19/01/2009 22:02

What I really hate is people who are not my child calling me Mum or Mummy. My child can call me whatever she pleases, within reason. Can everyone else just call me by my NAME, please?!