What does/will your child(ren) call your friends?

wouldnt the TRUE Aunts and uncles lose the value of their TITLES in the midst of 7,000 other aunts and uncles ??? JMO



I like to think im my nieces only ZIA
(wishful thinking!)

This is a good question. I always called all of my parents friends aunt/uncle in our language, because that's just how it's done in Indian culture. I guess this is viewed as respect for elders.

For my American friends parents I guess I usually started out with Mr/Mrs and if they said I could call them by their first name I did.

I think for my very close friends, I will ask them what they want to be called.

On a side note, this was always weird to me, but one of DH's sister's kids call all of her siblings by their first names, instead of 'Uncle Peter' they call DH 'Peter'. DH totally doesn't agree with that, and I don't think his other siblings do either. I'm really not sure of why she never taught her kids to call them uncle/aunt??? All of their cousins call him Uncle. We won't be doing that!

I dont really get it.. why would you tell your kids that somebody is an 'aunt or uncle' when they arent?
I want billy to have respect for his elders and call them Mr. or Mrs
Real close friends he can call by first names.
When he gets a little older I'm sure he will be respectful and do what he feels comfortable with

We were brought up calling our parents friends Aunt and Uncle. (and still do! ) They were all very close friends of my parents and there was no other kind, we never had to meet an acquaintance or a co-worker, etc. A neighbor would be Mr. or Mrs. Neighbor.

I don't think the special designation of 'aunt' or 'uncle' loses its meaning, even at a very early age I was aware of who was dad's brother and who was just a special friend of the family, 'like' family.

Maybe it was because our family wasn't very large, that we sort of adopted Aunts and Uncles.

I can't see my child(ren) calling my friends by their first names (too casual), or Mr or Mrs Jones (too formal) but we shall see how it goes and what everyone is comfortable with!

Now that I'm thinking about.... my friends daughter calls me Aunt and my DH Uncle. I love it. It makes me feel special and she is fully aware that I am mommies friend and not her sister. I think I feel this way especially because my DH nephews don't call me anything! Kind of like me with my MIL, can't do Mom or First Name!

I don't think real aunt and ucles lose their meaning. But often in Russian, especially children, will refer to a lady as 'aunt', a man 'uncle' and an elderly lady as 'grandma' - the famous 'Babushka' you may have heard.

In Russia, people full names were First Name, Middle Name and Last Name. So if you were adressing someone formally, you would say First Name Middle Name. But children called everyone who is a freind of parents as aunt or uncle. A teacher in school would be called First Name Middle Name.

Here in the US, most people don't use russian middle names, mostly because they are difficult and cumbersome to pronounce and are no longer necessary. But calling someone Mr. or Mrs. is too formal. Which is why we plan to use aunt/uncle.

Both FH and I call the in-laws as 'aunt/uncle' and mom finds it funny, but appropriate, given that middle names are not used.

Anna - I don't think for a second that the biological aunts and uncles lose their meaning at all just b/c friends are also extended the title. Remember - not everyone holds their responsibility as aunts and uncles in such a high regard like you or I or any of the other ladies do.

Case in point - despite my shock over a few of my friends assuming the title for themselves - the truth is, a few of them will be more of a true 'Aunt' to Paul throughout his lifetime than his 'real' biological aunt will ever be. Sad, but true! She ONLY has the title of 'aunt' b/c of a biological connection - not b/c she has earned it or deserves it. JMO.

Claud- it's true. Many 'real' Aunts are very uninvolved and the 'not real' Aunts are so special in our lives. One of my 'real' Aunts did an awful thing to me this year (as many of you know) and I wish she was never in my life to begin with. Being an Aunt is sooo much more than blood.

Case in point:
My best friend's children just call me Michele, and always have. Her brother married a women named Michelle that they called Aunt Michelle. One day I called on the phone and her son answered (he was like 5). Barbara said 'Who is on the phone' and he said, 'Our friend Michele'. And my heart melted. Her brother is long divorced and Aunt Michelle is gone from their lives BUT I am still their friend and always will be.

THAT is very sweet, Michele.