We used to have a hallway with kid’s growing up and school pics used to call it the Hall of Shame. Kidding of course, and the kid knew it.
Anyone who cannot navigate life well, who brings home a mound of laundry, who wants me to call the rental car company (the dentist, the doctor, etc) is a kid…my kid. He may have a 97 in organic chemistry but he has to FaceTime my husband every time has to tie a tie. I’m hopeful he will be able to tie his tie by age 25.
Hey, my puddin’ pops successfully filled up their car with diesel fuel for the first time ever yesterday! H and I had been doing it (he takes the car out every other weekend to make sure it’s driving ok and fills it with fuel), but the two of us got so crazy busy that the low fuel light came on without either of us noticing.
I got a call in the middle of class, which I couldn’t take because, well, class, but I’m freaking out because older D NEVER calls me unless it’s something really bad. So I surreptitiously text her “are you ok?” and she texts back “trying to put fuel in the car”.
Luckily, between the two of them they figured it out, and the diesel engine did not get a (fatal) gas bath. =D>
Between H & I, we often refer to our college-age kids as “our babies”. Ex: Have you heard anything from our babies?
When talking to other people who might not know the kids by name, I find myself saying “my oldest” and “my youngest”.
When frustrated, I might slip into referring to them as “the easy one” and “the difficult one”.
Both of my parents passed a long time ago, and although I’m in my 50s, I miss being someone’s kid!
It’s one thing to call a son or daughter by a pet name to their face or in private with a spouse or other family member. But I would feel silly referring to my adult children as baby animals or other names that infantilize them to strangers or acquaintances. My Ds wouldn’t care for that either. As with everything, YMMV.
I did give my children preppy nicknames once, but I kept forgetting who is who. Let’s see, it’s Biff, Buffy, and Muffy. Buffy doesn’t mind, but Biff won’t answer. Hey, @younghoss, I have my childrens’ kindergarden “Star of the Weeks” poster and fully intend to hung them in the hall upstairs, photos and all.