How should your children address your adult friends?

Question

Should it be Mr. or Mrs. So and So, Mr. and Mrs. First Name. or just by first name?

I always called my parents friends Mr. & Mrs So and So. A lot of friends have their kids call us Mr & Mrs. First name, a lot have us call us Mr. & Mrs. So and So. Just trying to decide what is the most appropriate.

I would like your opinion on what is the most appropriate, not answers like "whatever you are most comfortable with".

Thanks!

Answer 1

I let my adult friends decide what my child should call them...if they don't say anything about it they adress them as Mr. and Mrs. Last Name. Call me old fashioned but that's the way I was raised and I think it's a sign of respect.

Answer 2

I think it depends on the person, what they seem most comfortable with, and how close a friend they are. If it is someone my kids see a lot of it is usually Mr or Mrs First name, if its their friends parents or someone they only see occasionally it is Mr or Mrs so and so

Answer 3

I was always told you call a person mr. or mrs. until they tell you just to call them by there first name. My son just calls my friends by there first names though... After all there my friends not business people.

Answer 4

Times are changing.
When I was growing up my mother insisted that I called everyone Mr. or Mrs., but then a friend of mine's mother insisted that we call her my her first name. My mother didn't think that this was right and told me to call her Mrs. Watson. I told her that I thought it would be disrespectful to call her Mrs. Watson if she really wanted me to call her by her first name.
I truly believe that it should be up to your friends. I would say if they are older people introduce them as Mr. or Mrs. Other wise do whatever your friend would like.

Answer 5

You teach your child what you want them to say... I mean if you feel it is better to say the first name.. do it that way... I just call them by mr. and mrs. when I was growing up... until the friends told me to just call them whatever else... let you or that person decide though.. not the child

Answer 6

It depends. If they are family friends that you known for ever then use their first name. If they are parents of friends then use Mr. & Mrs. so & so

Answer 7

I called my parents' friends by their first name, or for those I'd known a long time; "Uncle -" and "Aunt-"

However, I called MY friend's parents by "Mr. and Mrs.", and still do, even though I'm now 23.

Answer 8

I was brought up, only having to refer teachers and doctors by their surnames. I never had to call my parent's friends by formal names it was always, by their first name or if they were a very close family friend we would call them Uncle or Aunt followed by their first name.

Being formal and using surnames is a form of teaching respect to your children, but I also think it creates a barrier between people. Somehow "Sean" is more important than your child because we refer to him as Mr. Johnson. With that said if your friend "Sean" prefers to be called by his surname when interacting with your children, then let him.

Answer 9

My kids call my friends Ms. or Mr. (first name), and I like that they do that because it shows respect. If I have a friend that has been around my kids on a constant basis, they call that person uncle or aunt (first name).

Answer 10

Mr. or Mrs., then their last name. Too many people have act too inappropriately familiar in this day and age; and it's time for people to start instilling some proper manners in children once again.