Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Anyone come across this? My 18 month old has started to call me by my first name, which I find weird and upsetting.

61 replies

neuroticlady · 13/08/2009 21:49

He has never said 'mummy' (can say daddy very clearly though I know it's common for them to struggle with mummy in the early months as it's not so easy to say). I was a bit peeved that he still wasn't saying it by this age (I am 'dah' along with everyone else he comes into contact with). However, we thought we'd recently heard him calling my DH by his first name, along with 'daddy'- and then today I definitely heard him very clearly addressing me by my first name and now he won't stop.

What's this all about? Why isn't he calling me mummy? And why am I getting so upset about it? A passing phase...?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

meandjoe · 14/08/2009 07:29

Hiya neuroticlady, how lovely to see you on here again. I spoke to you ages ago (was meandmyjoe back then but got fed up of mistyping it when logging in!!). Hope you are OK.

My ds went through a stage of calling me by my first name too (even after months of calling my mamma), on reflection I think it's cos all my friends called me that but at the time it did upset me a bit. I remember saying to dh it felt like he was doing it just to get a recaction though cos I would try to encourage him to say mummy and give it loads of attention hich it totally what toddlers thrive on! Think it lasted about a minth or 2 once IU decided to ignore it completely he just started calling me 'mamma' again and from about 20 months finally got called 'mummy' which was lovely and well worth the wait!

Devendra · 14/08/2009 07:43

My DS started calling his Dad by his first name at around 18 months.. he is 2 now and sometimes he says daddy and sometimes uses his name. My DD did exactly the same.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 14/08/2009 07:55

Consider yourself lucky, when my DS started saying Daddy, he wouldnt say mummy, he called me Chrissy, over and over again.

Chrissy is the childminders name...

GreatUncleBulgaria · 14/08/2009 08:01

My DS did the same, I remember being surprised at the time but it didn't last very long. He only calls me Mummy now.

maddysmummy · 14/08/2009 10:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Sheeta · 14/08/2009 15:06

oh my god... are you just searching for old threads about reward charts and trying to get some free advertising?!

jojomama27 · 14/08/2009 15:10

My sister used to call my mum and dad 'Daddy ... ' and 'Mummy....' just as you would an auntie or uncle!!

totalmisfit · 14/08/2009 15:18

my dd did this. thought it was hilarious personally. don't worry, just use the word 'Mummy' a lot in conversation from now on.

MmeLindt · 14/08/2009 15:20

When children are learning to speak, there are sounds that they find easier to say. Ma ma ma is more difficult than Da da da or Pa pa pa.

This is why most babies seem to be saying Daddy earlier than Mummy.

My DS was able to say Grandad but would NOT say Granny (which has to be just as easy to say). I think it was because my mum would try to get him to say it. He is stubborn though and it took ages before he would.

Don't worry about it. He will start to say Mummy soon.

My DS is 5yo and he seems to shout it all day at the moment. Thank God the school hols are almost over.

crokky · 14/08/2009 15:21

My toddlers sometimes call me and DH by our first names because they have heard us calling eachother that. No big deal!

stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2009 15:22

DD (2.9) has tried out 'Muuuuum', 'Mama' and my name, and getting no joy/response from me, reverts to Mummy, although she knows my name and likes "writing" it on lists.

That said, one of DS's friends calls his parents by their first names - all his own idea - but they never objected so he just carried on .

MmeLindt · 14/08/2009 15:22

Maddysmummy
You might not be aware of it, but this kind of advertising is frowned upon on MN. There is a section where you can advertise for a small charge.

lal123 · 14/08/2009 15:25

DD (almost 6) often calls me and DP by our first names - I can 't really understand why it would bother anyone? I call my Mum by her first name most of the time and Mum/Mummy the reast of the time. I think its quite funny

stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2009 15:25

MmeL I have already reported the post on those grounds.

MmeLindt · 14/08/2009 15:27

Stealth
MNHQ are quick today, it has already been deleted.

Pinkjenny · 14/08/2009 15:30

My dd is 2.3 and does this occasionally. Sometimes I think she does it tongue in cheek, because she knows it bugs me. Other times she'll do it if we've spent some time with friends or family and she has heard people addressing me as Jenny a lot.

preciouslillywhite · 14/08/2009 15:40

My dcs all call us by our first names because when my ds was small me and the ex couldn't be arsed to call each other mummy and daddy- the girls then of course copied their brother when they were big enough to talk. Me and dp don't mind/barely notice (we're lazy fuckers) but find people do really seem to get huffy about them doing it!

Habbibu · 14/08/2009 15:46

Oh, hello neuroticlady! How lovely to see you posting again! dd did this too - has mostly jacked it in now, but she did it mostly to DH:

"daddy, daddy, Daddy, DADDY, DHNAME!!!!!"

She definitely did it to get a reaction - that's why she goes for Mum and Dad sometimes.

Habbibu · 14/08/2009 15:47

And my niece utterly refused to called my Dad Grandad - first name all the way. That's almost stopped now...

Bettymum · 14/08/2009 15:54

DD (18 months) always calls me mummy and nearly always calls DH daddy, but she will stand at the bottom of our stairs and yell DH! DH! DH! in exactly the tone of voice that I use. It sounds so funny.

HeadFairy · 14/08/2009 15:56

Count yourself lucky, my ds copies my dh and calls me babe

nappyaddict · 14/08/2009 16:07

I don't think it is helpful to keep correcting them at a young age. If it was me I would be happy by 18 month old was saying something at least. What I would do is when she refers to you by your name and wants you to do something I would reply "Yes Mummy will get you a drink." "Mummy will help you" or whatever. So you're not saying "No it's not X it's mummy" which could dent her confidence but are just letting her know you are called Mummy too.

Original poster

neuroticlady · 14/08/2009 21:01

Thanks to the posts here I am now seeing the funny side of being followed around by toddler shrieking my name at the top of his voice. And no, I'm not making a big deal of it at all or drawing attention to it - just making sure I say 'mummy' even more than I used to so he'll eventually get the idea. And I love the idea of saying he is the only person special enough in the world to call me 'mummy', that's a great tip, thanks.

And for those of you who remember me and all those posts from a very bleak place, I am amazed and very touched.I recognise a lot of those names . Would you believe DS now has a baby sister...

OP posts:

Habbibu · 14/08/2009 21:24

Oh, wow - congratulations on your new dd! That's wonderful news - am so happy for you. Your previous threads were extraordinary, and you touched very many of us.

PinkTulips · 14/08/2009 21:32

dd calls us by name far more than she uses mummy and daddy.

I don't really mind but it gets a bit grating when she feels the need to repeat it ad nauseum so i can't get a word in edge ways to find out what the hell she wants 'Dee, Dee, Dee, Dee, Dee, Deeeeeee, Dee, Dee, Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!'.

it is rather hilarious when she stands at the top of the stairs and bellows 'Joe!' like a little drill sergeant

Flip

1 2 3