<p>we have a pretty funny story about what my MIL wanted me to call her :eek: but I cannot explain without completely identifying myself. Suffice it to repeat: :eek:</p>
<p>I think that the young adults should call older adults by their first names. They do it in the workplace; why not in the family or among family friends? </p>
<p>In fact, using first names for one’s girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s parents might be good practice for the initially awkward situation of having to refer to much older work colleagues by their first names after years and years of using “Mr.” or “Ms.” or “Dr.” for teachers and professors.</p>
<p>If my offspring’s significant other REALLY wants to get my attention, though, he or she should call me by my sister’s name. My real first name, which is not Marian, is one of the most common names for women of our generation – so common that I usually don’t turn around if someone calls out that name. But my sister has an unusual name. I have always been more likely to react to that name than to my own.</p>
<p>I cringe when my kids’ friends call me by my first name. When I go to my kid’s school, most of kids would greet me and call me Mrs. Oldfort. I think it’s easier for them too because they know my kid’s last name. When I address my kid’s teachers I also call them Mr/Mrs. To me it’s a sign of respect and comes with a certain boundary. My friends call me by my first name. I would never be my kids’ friend and won’t be their friends’ friend either.</p>
<p>after 25+ years, I think I can call her a little more than ‘Doc’. After all she (doc) does things that no one else does (I will not go into detail).</p>
<p>It seems strange to me to be called “Ms. L----” by my son’s friends (let alone “ma’am”), so I introduce myself as Donna. The ones who know me well (one or two, since they were small children) have always called me that. The ones who don’t know me that well manage not to call me anything if they’re uncomfortable using my first name.</p>
<p>I always called my former mother-in-law and father-in-law by their first names. </p>
<p>I can’t bring myself to call doctors by their first names, even if they’re younger than I am and seem to invite it. It just wouldn’t seem right, somehow.</p>
<p>In public, my son always addresses me as Donna, for obvious reasons. For the same reason, he avoids introducing me to people he doesn’t know or doesn’t know well, and I get around the problem by introducing myself – “Hi, I’m Donna L—, and J. is my son.” (Not that that fact isn’t obvious to people who see us together.)</p>
<p>I think one of the reasons I am okay with being on a first name basis with any of our kids’ friends is because my last name is different from theirs. It is just easier for everyone to remember, after watching kids fumble for a few years when they knew my name was different but couldn’t remember what it was.</p>
<p>I struggle with what to call my doctor, who also attends my church. Should I call her Jennifer at church, then “Dr. X” in the office? So I punt, and do not call her anything…</p>
<p>Mafool, you have made us intensely curious!</p>
<p>When I grew up, all of the adults on our street were called Miss Dawn, Mr. Dick, Miss Elaine, Mr. Zeke, etc. And I have always been Miss Eddie to daughter’s friends.</p>
<p>Just tonight a dear friend asked what her baby should call me. She mentioned Aunt Eddie. I decided that would be fine with me. I was touched by it, actually.</p>
<p>Yup, I am going thru a list of honorary titles that could apply to your MIL. Your Honor, Madame Secretary, etc.</p>
<p>Great workout for the brain. </p>
<p>I am Mrs. DH to my daughter’s bf. Occasionally, if he is teasing me he will call me “mom.” When I send him an email or call, I identify myself by my first and last name.</p>
<p>Sore subject this week… D2’s supposed BF shirked around and never actually “met” her dad. Serious negative points. If you aren’t man enough to go up and introduce yourself, you need to grow up.</p>
<p>Well, sounds like a definite split between adults who prefer young people to address them by their last name, and adults who prefer young people to address them by their first name.</p>
<p>With the latter group somewhat in the majority, I think.</p>
<p>I teach my kids to call everyone Mr. or Ms. or Dr. when they first meet…unless or until they are told otherwise. They are always told otherwise. In our neck of the woods, everyone goes by their first name. There’s no status around names. I also tell my students to call me by my firstname as well, not prof. or dr. or mrs., Pretty much the norm too I’d say.</p>
<p>The best bet for said “young person” who is already a significant other?</p>
<p>"Hi, I’m Young Person. What would you like me to call you? "</p>
<p>But that evidences more presence of mind than I had at that time. Plus, said Young Person may meet the parents before the “significance” of the otherhood is established.</p>
<p>I have a first name that is 7 letters but 4 syllables and have often been told it is a mouthful (I don’t buy it) but it’s true that I rarely hear it said, LOL! I coached many sports teams when the kids were younger and so am often called by “Coach XXXX” (previous married name) and still respond to that. My last name is now different than my kids so it doesn’t bother me if they still call me Mrs. Oldmarriedname or Mrs. Newmarriedname or my first name though I will admit it is disconcerting to hear kids call me by my first name but I think it is more because I am not used to hearing it. Also, one of oldest D’s friends always made it a point to call me by my first name and the way she did it was more awkward.</p>
<p>I am never quite sure what to call others either, including my in laws, as I was raised to not use first names so while they prefer that, I need to get over my own uncomfortableness. I leave it at whatever someone else is comfrtable calling me (within reason of course 
)</p>
<p>I think it’s a regional thing. Although I have never given instructions on how I would like to be addressed, all of our kids’ friends (ages 20-30) address me as Mrs Dragon or as “Hi, Mom!” , depending on the relationship.
And for younger kids, Miss Dragon was the common term. H was Mr. Hisfirstname.</p>
<p>…as long as they call me in time for dinner!</p>
<p>Son’s current SO calls me Mrs. Fool. It does not seem awkward. I can’t say I really care much. As said previously, if the relationship continues a lot longer or takes on another dimension (engagement, cohabitation…) I may suggest something else.</p>
<p>Oh, and forever any kid who was on a team that you coached calls you “Coach” or perhaps “Coach Sue” for a rec. league team and “Coach Smith” for a high school team.
It may be a Southern thing…</p>
<p>Nope. I’m in Michigan, and the “Coach” thing holds true here, too!</p>
<p>My daughter’s HS boyfriend of three years calls me Mrs. _________, but I plan to ask him to start calling me by my first name after graduation. I am sure it will take him a while to get used to it.</p>
<p>LongPrime, I have patients that have been with me for 25 years. Some I delivered 3-4 of their children. And now their children come to me as well. I have families where I treat the mom, the grandmother, and the daughter. I still feel most comfortable being their doctor first, and their friend second. Those patients call me “Dr. First Name.” Let’s say my name is Dr Amy Smith-Jones. They call me Dr. Amy.</p>
<p>Sunnyflorida, our son’s pediatrician was always Dr. First-name. Not sure why, maybe because his last name was not so easy to pronounce. Now, when I see him socially, I have to make an effort to call him by the first name only.</p>