What Did You Call Me?
January 22, 2007 by Kailani
Filed under hawaii, random thoughts
This afternoon, the little girl who lives next door to us came over to play with Girlie Girl.
Lately she’s been bugging the heck out of me and I couldn’t figure out why. Then today it hit me. It’s because she calls me “Kailani”. I used to be “Girlie Girl’s Mommy” but I guess somewhere along the way she’s become more comfortable with me.
I told her that I would prefer that she call me “Aunty Kailani” (everyone in Hawaii is considered “Uncle” or “Aunty” even if there’s no relation.
What do you prefer your kids’ friends to call you?
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I prefer that they don’t call me.
ha ha. When I was little, my mom was Ms. (my last name). No one dared call her by her first name!
I had such great weather in your state. I loved the surfers at North Shore, and Maui was awesome. We saw a baby whale!
my daughter’s friends call me “miss eryn.” all the toddlers i’m around call all grown-ups “miss/mister (first name)”
For some reason, I’m still stuck on the Mr. and Mrs. for the kids! It’s how we always addressed our parents’ friends, or our friends’ parents, and I think it is just a good sign of respect. Our kids do have some close friends of ours that they refer to as “Aunt” and “Uncle”, but not many. Some of my friends’ kids call me “Miss Kerri”, and I’m finally getting used to that. But it does bug me for a child to just address me like they do their 5 year old friends. Definite pet peeve of mine!
Ironically I just heard my husband tell our daughter yesterday not to call him by his first name because she was being a little “too big for her britches” LOL I get Miss Holly a lot. That one is my favorite. At the heart of the issue is the tone and attitude of the one doing the calling because it’s the disrespect that makes me bristle.
Hugs,
Holly
Holly’s Corner
I prefer to be called Mrs. Mitchell rather than by my first name (or Aunt Michelle words for relatives). I was always taught as a kid not to call adults by their first name so it’s what I’ve learned to be comfortable with.
That is SUCH a huge debate in my house, too. I am not a fan of the “Aunty” or “Uncle” pre-fix for the name of someone who is not a relation… I have Aunts and Uncles and I feel that the term is reserved for them (but I don’t call them that – wierd??). The problem continues… I am a teacher. Chances are that I am going to teach some of my friends’ kids or even my little cousins. So, do I go with Mrs _____?? That just seems bizarre. Ah well, the debate continues. Cool to know how you do it in Hawaii.
My friends kids call me “Mr. S” or “Big Daddy Hale”
Our neighbors’ kids call their own parents by their first names. It’s very, very disconcerting. They tried at first to do the same to my wife and me, but we corrected them often enough that we’re back in the “uncle” and “auntie” bin. I hope it’s not a trend!
when I was little it was always Mr. or Mrs..
it changed when my kids were growing up.
Aunty is a nice way to go.
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As a teacher, I’m Mrs. B…
As a friend, I’m mostly Nicole but my friends who are “overly religious” have their kids call me Mrs. B…
dont care, though Sir or madam would not fly for either of us.
You know us locals like to be called Aunty or Uncle by kids. That’s weired that she called you by your name. Most local kids don’t do that. In Texas I get called Ms Linda by the boy I babysit and it sounds so funny. No ma’a dat kine. All the little kids call me Aunty or Grandma.
** To tell you the truth, their whole family is a little different. LOL!
When I first got married after living in the south for so long I was really looking forward to being called “Mrs.Newlastname” But I was in for a real shock when EVERYONE wanted to call me Miss Renee or Renee. So the first time I taught Vacation Bible School I asked what name I should have the kids call me and they said whatever I wanted. The kids didn’t call me anything. LOL
Then I had DD and parents without asking me would introduce me to their kids as “Miss Renee”. That really irked me. I have a friend at Church who thinks that children should call adults Mr/Mrs Lastname…so that’s what she uses most of the time…sometimes she slips and calls me by my first name. I call her in front of the kids, Mrs lastname.
Now I’m pretty used to being called Miss Renee though. But I think the weirdest was when I called a friend, her DD answered and thought I said I was “Mr Hay”. LOL I still think that young kids shouldn’t answer the phone…Darly doesn’t unless she recognizes the name on the caller ID.
oh in Korea they called everyone Aunt or Uncle. I SOOOO can’t spell how you say Aunt. But they used this term for their cleaning lady too.
Once at the playground a little girl called me Aunt (in Korean) to ask a question. She had to repeat it a few times to get my attention because I had no idea she was adressing me. LOL
I was raised to call all of my elders by Mr. or Mrs. Auntie or Uncle was reserved for close family friends and relatives.
I have taught my kids to show this same respect. My very close friends are sometimes referred to at Miss Lisa or Miss Jeannie (in the best southern tradition), but I can’t stand when kids call me by my first name. I have a friend who allows her 5-year-old son to call me by my first name, and I’ve tried to find a diplomatic way of telling her that I find it offensive. I ain’t your friend, kid, I’m your elder!
I think that calling everyone “auntie” or “uncle” is an Asian thing, my dh’s family does that, as well as his Korean SIL. It kind of bugs me though, since that’s not how I grew up. I let kids call me Miss Lorri if they like, but some parents prefer their children call me Mrs. K, and want my children to address them as Mrs. TheirLastName. Fine by me. I have noticed a lot more “Mrs. K” since my dh got promoted (Army), LOL!
Being raised in the South we are very concerned with Manners. My children are suposed to say Yes sir, No sir and Yes ma’am and No ma’am. They call adults Miss Jennifer or Mr. Walt Or if they are people that they have just been interduced to then they call them by their last name. When we moved to Missouri some teachers were offended when my children said yes sir and yes Ma’am but I told them that those were the rules in our house.
Close friends kids call me Auntie. Others just call me by my name. I would rather that then Mrs…. Although a girlfriend of mine from the South calls every one Miss first name so that might be a bit better.