Do YOU think its WRONG to call your PARENTS by their first NAME?

Question

Question Details: Why do we say 'Would you like a drink ____?' (mum, dad, aunty, grandma, grandpa)
....yet we use actual names when talking to or about nephews, neices, sisters, brothers or grandchildren?

If your a parent how would you react if your child called you by your first name?

We are here today because of our parents, they brought us into this world. They removed the cotton wool from our eyes, fed us, clothed us, gave us shelter, warmth, love and support. By calling them 'mum', 'dad', 'mother' or 'father' we are acknowledging their role, a signal of respect. I have seen a lot of children calling their parents by their first name..But I disagree.

But I digress..

Where do you stand on this debate?

Thank You :-)
Have a wonderful day!

Answer 1

I totally agree with you!! It is a sign of respect when you don't call your parents and elders by their names! Just like why do we bow when we want to show appreciation or respect? And just the way we call teachers by surname with Mrs/Ms/Mr and Sir and Mam; I would never call my teacher by her or his first name! Well in life our first and most probably most important teachers are our parents as they teach from walking to principles of life!! Respecting an showing that respect is a great thing and we should stick by saying mum and dad or Mami or Papi!! :-)
Thank you, Fluffy! :-)

Answer 2

It became popular with folk in the late sixties and early seventies to encourage their children to call them by their first names. I think it was all tied up in the personal politics of the time i.e. an attempt to break down the power differential between parents (the holders of power) and their children (the powerless).
Of course, it's a load of b*****ks. It probably makes no difference whether parents are called by their first names or by parental titles; the important thing being the way in which the children are raised.

Answer 3

I would not dream of calling either of my parents by their first names. To me [and when I have children of my own] the names Mum and Dad is about the important role that they play throughout our lives. They are MY mum and dad and only my sister and I are entitled to use it. Everyone else calls my parents by their first names, so the names Mum and Dad are special for them and us due to our unique relationship.

Answer 4

I agree, but I was growing up we called one set of grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa "last name". While the other set of grandparents are Grandma "first name" and Grandpa "first name". I think this is what my grandparents wanted. I know my mom and dad (now grandparents) also use their first names (Grandma XXX or Grandpa XXX) when signing cards. But we never just used first names it was always started by Grandma or Grandpa. I'm OK with this too as along as it's not only the first names.

Answer 5

It's terribly wrong.


As you mentioned, these people gave you life, a roof over your head, warmth in the winter, and food in your stomach so that you would never feel hungry. They did this willingly, and unselfishly.

They deserve respect. These people deserve the name Mom & Dad. They have worked hard for that respect.

Not to be a put down by any means, but a parent would understand this.

Answer 6

I think that until they are eighteen they should refer to their parents as Sir and Ma'am, only speak when spoken to and be seen and not heard. Once they reach eighteen then they should still respect their parents and mother, father, mummy, daddy etc are perfectly acceptable. To call one's parents by their first names even when talking about them to other people (when Title Surname is the only acceptable address e.g. Lady SeanF's Surname or Viscount SeanF's Surname) is disrespectful and crass, I believe it is rather common amongst the "right on" and "Environmentally Friendly" strata of middle class parents to allow their normally precocious and irritating offspring to call the by the names usually reserved for friends.

Answer 7

That depends on the relationship you have with your mother or father. If the relationship is strained or distanced then it is perfectly acceptable for the children to call their parents by their first names if they feel that they do not deserve an affectionate 'mum' or 'dad'. It is generally natural for children to call their parents mum or dad because often the first words and sounds that kids make are da -> dada / ma -> mama. these are then manipulated by the parents to mum dad mummy daddy.

Answer 8

H we should call them M

Answer 9

I would never allow or like my Children to call me by my first name, neither would my Husband, We are Parents ,Yes we are friends but not to that extent, we have to have rules,

Answer 10

Personally i believe calling your mom and dad by there first name is disrespectful. I totally agree that calling them mom or dad is a way of acknowledging what they do for us. Its like calling the president georgy. Not cool.