Momo Fali's: Respect

Monday, October 11, 2010

Respect

The other night we were visiting with a friend during dinner at his house, when my eight year old son jumped into the conversation and called our 39 year old friend by his first name. It was something along the lines of, "Sure, Chad."

Although we allow the kids to call our oldest friends by their first name, we have a rule that most people go by Mr. or Mrs. followed by their last name. It keeps things easy and consistent.

My husband quickly corrected our boy and said, "You need to address adults as Mr. or Mrs., buddy. It shows respect."

And, as our son turned to leave the room he rolled his eyes at his dad, let out a big sigh and said, "Whatever, Mike."

Labels: Family Life, Kids, My Better Half, Shameless Statements

# posted by Momo Fali : 8:33 PM

Comments:

Kids!! Too funny!

# posted by

Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups : October 11, 2010 at 8:37 PM

He didn't put his thumb and index finger up on his forehead, did he?

Ouch.

# posted by

Irish Gumbo : October 11, 2010 at 8:53 PM

Heh. We're your opposites. I remember the first time Zoë called me by my name in the line-up for preschool. I swear, eyeballs hit the floor.

# posted by

Zoeyjane : October 11, 2010 at 8:58 PM

hahaha that's too cute! :) we had the same kinda rule growing up-- my BFF's parents went by their first name but the rest of the people i knew that were older where "mr & mrs" unless it was specified otherwise!

# posted by

Heather : October 11, 2010 at 10:12 PM

Your child absolutely kills me! He is such a stinkin' trip and I love it :)

# posted by

Goober Daisy : October 11, 2010 at 10:59 PM

That kid never fails to crack me up!

# posted by

WeaselMomma : October 12, 2010 at 7:00 AM

*Snicker*

# posted by

Jodi : October 12, 2010 at 10:29 AM

Wow. 8 going on 16. Either that or he watched an old episode of The Brady Bunch and is patterning himself after Greg.

# posted by

Tom : October 12, 2010 at 10:33 AM

I still call my friends' parents Mr. and Mrs. However, PLEASE don't let your kids call me Mrs. Horan...

# posted by

Amie : October 12, 2010 at 10:48 AM

Did you tell your son it's MISTER Mike to him?

# posted by

Anonymous : October 12, 2010 at 1:11 PM

I'm big on Mr. and Mrs. Yes Sir and Yes Ma'am, etc. But, our Elementary Principal and his wife lived across the street from us while growing UP. They still live there. He was ALWAYS Mr. Slone. She was ALWAYS Hazel...at her insistance...I think if I'd called her Mrs. Slone, she would have ignored me. There are always special cases..

But you're so right about strangers...and your kid cracks me UP!

UP

# posted by

UP : October 12, 2010 at 5:34 PM

I friggen LOVE your son!

# posted by

meleah rebeccah : October 12, 2010 at 8:54 PM

He's a hoot!

This made me think of softball. When I first started coaching high school softball, the kids were required to call me "Coach Grenon." I hated it. I kept looking around for my father-in-law.
I agree there needs to be a line of respect. The last couple of years, I've transitioned to "Coach Kim." It works. They never, ever just say Kim though.

# posted by

Kim - Mommycosm : October 13, 2010 at 10:34 AM

In California, a lot of kids expect to be able to call you by your first name, and culturally, for me, that's just wrong. I make a point of correcting them but being friendly, figuring if nothing else I'm teaching them about people who are different from them. I'm nice--but I'm Mrs. Hyde, thank you, sweetie.

# posted by

AlisonH : October 14, 2010 at 1:18 AM

Ha! What a trip!
My kids born and spending several years in the south learned to call adults by Mr/Miss/ms and their first name, unless it was a teacher or new acquaintance, it was last names until the person ok'd to use first name.

Living in the north now for 4 years, they still do it...which I think is great, but their friends here (and friends' parents) totally do not get it and look at them like they've lost their minds.

Makes me miss the South.

# posted by

Unknown : October 14, 2010 at 8:23 AM

we struggle with that -- the whole first name thing. there are certain friends whose names we don't even require pookie to preface w/ mr. or ms.

which is weird, maybe even inconsistent. b/c if anything, i'm a bit old school when it comes to kids and respect.

funny story...

# posted by

john cave osborne : October 14, 2010 at 11:22 AM

I was raised back in the day. Yeah, I'm that old. And we were taught that all adults outside the family were to be addressed as Mr/Mrs/Miss, and within the family as aunt/uncle. I think it's slowly graduated to the point where many, if not most, kids simply address adults by their first name, because their parent did it when they were growing up. It's almost becoming he norm these days. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the simple display of respect.

However, that being said, "whatever Mike" is just plain funny.

# posted by

Matty : October 14, 2010 at 7:06 PM

So, so funny! Our kids call everyone by their first names. But they have other ways to show true disrespect.

# posted by

Marinka : October 15, 2010 at 8:44 PM

OMG-That's hilarious.

My, aren't YOU popular this week! TWO Saturday Sampling links! Thanks for being so entertaining :)

# posted by

Mrs4444 : October 16, 2010 at 9:29 PM

*smack* Maybe not literally, but still. *smack*

And then, "That's Mr. Mike to you, son."

;)

# posted by

KWG : October 17, 2010 at 6:11 PM

I could read your posts all day. :)

That boy is a hoot. Guess he got it from him mom.

# posted by

Oscar : October 18, 2010 at 2:22 PM

LOL - We have the same rule except we allow them to call them by their first name but it is always MR. or Mrs.

# posted by

Davina : October 19, 2010 at 10:43 PM

bwahahaaaaaaaa

awesome.

We do the same.. Mrs. Rachel.. Mr. Nathan.. etc....

Love your kiddos

# posted by

Rachel : October 19, 2010 at 11:35 PM

-->In Virginia, it's Miss and Mr if my child is addresses My friends. Otherwise, it's Mr and Mrs. Last Name.
When I was in high school, my friends and I LOVED to refer to our parents by their first names but NEVER to their faces.
~deb
www.websavvymom.com

# posted by

Deb : October 21, 2010 at 4:02 PM

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