Kids and Relatives

I think parents shouldnt obligate their children to call someone "uncle" or "aunt". In Argentine its a kind of honorable title that some people earn. We call uncle or aunt people that are not necessarily related to us. They have to be really special people.

My boys are young, but we are teaching my son (he'll be three in AUgust) to say Uncle or Aunt. We continue to remind him, and he does it problably 75% of the time, which I think is great for his age, when he forgets, we remind him, and he corrects it. To me, it's a sign of respect, if the person is not his uncle or aunt, and we do not know them well, we are teaching him to call them Sir or Mam, (especially the older folks) there are a few adults that he calls by thier first names, but that is because they are very close to the family. He is just beginning to catch on to sir and mam, I think parents need to be good examples of this as well. I always refer to adults whom are older than I, in this matter, I think it's respectful. Also, the other day he was talking to the pastor, and called him pastor, and that made me proud! (:

my kids will respect everyone older than them. family and some friends they call aunt and uncle. they ever call some of the older people we know grandma and grandpa . or they can just use mr. and miss..but i will not tollerate just calling them by their first name . it is disrespectful. when i was a child if i had called an adult by just their first name my mamma would have knocked me into the next year.

Most kids will do that if they start it right away. If they dont see relatives a lot then they dont feel as comfortable. If she wants them to call him uncle john, then she needs to take them to see uncle john alot. and not just at family gatherings.

I always called my aunts and uncles by their first name to their face. Very seldom did I refer to them as Aunt or Uncle_____. Only in reference did I call them that. "Mom, are we going to Aunt _______ house?" My children refer to their aunts and uncles by using the title, but that's because we refer to them that way at home when talking about or with them. I have found my children do learn from example. If I say please and thank you, they learn to say please and thank you. If I call people aunt and uncle, they do as well.

It depends on the relative - not all my sisters and brothers mind whether they are called aunty or uncle and the kids sometimes just call them by first name! I don't make a big deal of it either way - as long as no one is upset I don't see that it matters too much! Some of my friends they call aunty or uncle just cos they want to! xx

I think it is a personal choice with the families. There is no right or wrong answer. Some people are very high on respect they feel it is a good solid value for kids to learn. My nephews and nieces call me aunt out of respect and that is how they were brought up.

My daughter calls her aunt just by her first name. She never really says "aunt blank" and she does this with all her aunts. Although she does call her one and only uncle, by uncle. So who knows. I guess it's just what they feel like doing. My daughter knows that they are her aunts, and she doesn't feel she has to say it. It's not a big deal, to me anyway.

First of all kids know nothing by themselves!! We have to force them to make things done our way..!! Becasue their understanding ability is also poor at their age.!! I enforce every kid ..who belongs under my concern to respect others. The place where I live its like any one who is older than you call him/her as your big brother or sister,uncle or aunty and "nothing else" not even by their real name. No kid can call any one who is older then him by his real"name"..!! I call every one as uncle or aunty , I am trained..to do this by my parents..lol! But as due to surroundings I am changing and I think now days kids calling you by your real name is not a big deal.people changes according to surrounding. have a nice day.

To obligate kids only show that you haven't taught them how to show respect without the need for you to remind them to do so. (Wow that was a mouthful LOL) I think parents should not obligate the kids to do something they would uncomfortable doing. Besides if you did teach your kids how to show respect, they would do it without your telling them.

This is a bit of a sore point with me. My two sisters have always been referred to by the short form of their name. But not me. I really don't like my full name and sometimes even use my middle name. A couple of years ago I asked to be called by my short name. My Dad manages it easily, he's 94 this year, but one of my sisters, her husband and my brother all still use my full name and the nieces and nephews, grown ups now, all tag me with "Aunty" as well, even though I've told them all my preference.

I don't know if it is nessesary to call them aunt or uncle but they do need to call them mam and sir just out of respect.

I don't think it's disrespectful for a child to call an adult by their first name. after all, we don't find it disrespectful if our friends use our first names, so why should our own family have to call us by a formal title when they are closer still. your family should be the last people in the world we have to be formal with. if you can't relax with your family, who can you relax with. formal titles should only be used with people who use formal titles for you. they should only have had to call him Uncle John if he had to call them Nephew/Niece (name) when only one person has to use a formal title it is like saying "this person is more deserving of respect than you are" children should respect adults, and adults should respect children. if it's only one way it doesn't work. and you don't have to use a formal name to show respect. you do that through your behaviour.

I guess she felt that it would be bad manners to not give him a title of some sort like "Mr" or "Uncle". I guess I used to refer to people as "Aunt" and "Uncle" when my kids were little, but I never forced the issue as forcing things on small children never goes over well anyway.