# What do your kids call you the mother?



## Ericka1999 (Aug 4, 2009)

I'm just wondering how your DS & DD call you.Since I have taught my kids to call me "mom" in certain public situations i.e in school, formal settings i.e wedding etc..But they can call me whatever i.e "mommy etc.." when in not in formal public setting i.e grocery shopping just between the 3 of us talking.I wonder if any of you mothers teach that to your kids, or it doesn't matter.Personally I don't see it anything wrong with a 6 & 9yr old daughter calling her mother mommy.Both of my daughters are very sweet and it's a way of showing expressing love, bond, by calling me mommy.Also both of my daughter's babysitter/Pal who is 15y.o I have known her since she was born and know her parents which we are good friends with them.Still to this day she calls her mom "mommy" which I think that's sweet, and don't see anything wrong with a kid any age calling there parent's mommy & daddy.
I think that the reason I do this to teach them to call me "mom" in certain public situations is because I get this from and was taught by my mother.


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## Mama Mko (Jul 26, 2007)

I'm Mama in all situations. I still call my mother Mama.


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## inkslinger (May 29, 2009)

Mama. Sometimes Mommy.


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## KimL (May 16, 2009)

? why is mom more formal then mommy? and why must your child be formal when talking to you in public? just asking!

I call my mother mum and my father daddy- and I'm 38!

my son calls me mommy and my husband daddy.


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## KiltimaghRose (Aug 8, 2009)

Well, DD can't say anything yet, but my DH still calls his mom and dad mommy and daddy. He said he started calling them mom and dad in school and such once he realized that it was not normal. It takes me off guard every time he says "mommy" but I think it is a little sweet. Strangely, BIL (23) calls them mommy and daddy too but SIL (17) calls them mom and dad.


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## Porcelain Interior (Feb 8, 2008)

Mommy. My kids are 7 and 13. I don't know how long mommy will hold out, but I can't imagine training my kids to call me something else in public.


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## Ericka1999 (Aug 4, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Porcelain Interior* 
Mommy. My kids are 7 and 13. I don't know how long mommy will hold out, but I can't imagine training my kids to call me something else in public.

Well it's not exactly training just teaching them..


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## LionTigerBear (Jan 13, 2006)

I have called myself "Mom" and "Mommy" and "Mama" to the boys ever since they were born. My five-year-old uses "Mom" when he is feeling more playfully teasing, more independent, more casual. He calls me "Mommy" most of the time and he calls me "Mommy-Mommy" when he's feeling particularly affectionate (I love that!!!







) He doesn't hardly ever call me "Mama", it's just not his personality (he's been calling me "Mom" since he was a toddler!







) My two-year-old chooses to call me "Mama" most of the time, "Mommy" the rest of the time, and never says "Mom", but again, that's just his particular personality. I have never dictated any rules or guidelines for which of these terms they should use in what situation, since I feel it should be a personal and easy expression of the relationship.


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## Ericka1999 (Aug 4, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KimL* 
? why is mom more formal then mommy? and why must your child be formal when talking to you in public? just asking!

I call my mother mum and my father daddy- and I'm 38!

my son calls me mommy and my husband daddy.

Well the reason I do this I think that it's HABIT the way I was raised also I just think that there's certain time not there's anything wrong with my kids calling me mommy, to call me mom.

I think that the reason I teach this my kids to talk somewhat formal in public so they will have a lasting first good impression.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rebeccajo* 
I'm Mama in all situations. I still call my mother Mama.

Same here. Sometimes when we are playing around my dd will call me mamalyn as well.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

I'm Momma. Everywhere. Every time.

I call my mom "Mom" and my dad "Dad" in all situations, except occasionally on the phone, I'll call my dad "Daddy". My dd (5) thinks it's hysterical that her 43 year old mother is calling her 85 year old dad "Daddy".

I can't imagine making a distinction between "Mom" and "Mommy". If anyone outside my family cares, they've got way way way too little to think about!


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

DS1 calls me "mom".

DD1 calls me "mommy" and "mama" about equally.

DS2 calls me "mommy" most of the time, and "mama" occasionally.

I call my parents "mom" and "dad" and have done so since I was about 12, I think. I did call mom "my mommy" when I was leaning on her through a contraction somewhere around hour 40 with Aaron, though (context of "I want my mommy").


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## Mama2Bug (Feb 18, 2005)

DD calls me Mama, regardless of the situation. Mama is my "other name." I consider it just as solid and official (where DD is concerned) as my legal name. There is no reason to ask her to call me anything else.

I remember the exact moment when my mother told me to stop calling her "Mommy" because I was too old and it made me look like a baby. I was eleven. It still stings. It made me feel like she didn't really want me to be her child anymore and like I was so inherently inadequate that a special facade needed to be put on in public, so that she wouldn't be embarrassed.









Also, I don't understand why you feel "Mom" is more formal than "Mommy." Both are just nicknames for "Mother." I guess you could prefer to be called "Mother" in a formal situation, though I think that would stick out as odd more than it would impress people.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

I'm mom, mama or mommy. My kids are 3 and 7 and alternate between all 3. I love mama, but I honestly don't care which they use.


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

They both call me mommy


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## Ericka1999 (Aug 4, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama2Bug* 
DD calls me Mama, regardless of the situation. Mama is my "other name." I consider it just as solid and official (where DD is concerned) as my legal name. There is no reason to ask her to call me anything else.

I remember the exact moment when my mother told me to stop calling her "Mommy" because I was too old and it made me look like a baby. I was eleven. It still stings. It made me feel like she didn't really want me to be her child anymore and like I was so inherently inadequate that a special facade needed to be put on in public, so that she wouldn't be embarrassed.









Also, I don't understand why you feel "Mom" is more formal than "Mommy." Both are just nicknames for "Mother." I guess you could prefer to be called "Mother" in a formal situation, though I think that would stick out as odd more than it would impress people.

Well I guess that I can loosen up a little..


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## spmamma (Sep 2, 2007)

DD calls me "mama" (she's almost 26 months now). Most of the time I refer to myself as mama, but plenty of times I also say "mommy". I would love it if she always called me mama, but I don't mind if she calls me mommy as well. And I guess maybe she'll want to call me "mom" when she gets older, but that will be her choice.


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## LionTigerBear (Jan 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mama2Bug* 
Also, I don't understand why you feel "Mom" is more formal than "Mommy." Both are just nicknames for "Mother." I guess you could prefer to be called "Mother" in a formal situation, though I think that would stick out as odd more than it would impress people.

I agree with this. My mom was a narcissist and very controlling, and very concerned about what people thought of her/us, and she never let us call her "Mom" because she thought it was too casual and disrespectful. We could call her "Mommy" in private and in public we were to call her "Mother".







It sounds like your mom may have been very controlling, too.


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

I'm always Mama. This seems like an unusual thing to be concerned about.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

I think that if you want your children to make a "good first impression" you should concentrate more on their manners and how they address other people in public, not you. Most people are not really going to care if their kid calls their mother "mommy", but they might care if the child calls THEM "Hey you," or "gimme!".

Even though most folks in our circle of friends prefer to be called by their first name, I've taught my kids to try to ask friends' parents, big people at church, ect. what they would like to be called, and to use Mr./Ms. Lastname as a default.

What first impressions are you concerned with, out of curiousity? I do get the concern that many young people today don't know their elbows from their rears when it comes to conventional polite formal behavior, but it generally doesn't come into play until business interviews/scholarship interviews/formal dinners--and let's hope you're not going to be sitting with your child at their first job interview for them to even call you Mommy in the first place!

Are you children otherwise polite? Do they hold open doors for people, use please and thank you, address adults as Mr/Ms/Mrs unless asked to do otherwise, not interrupt other people when they're talking, ect? If so, then they're making good first impressions with the people who are concerned with formality. And if you haven't been teaching them those things, they still are not going to be impressed even if your kids say "Mom" in public.

Still, either way I don't think it's going to scar your children if you have a different preference for them to call you in public, as long as you're not tactless or punitive about how you bring it up. But if you have no preference or you really would prefer something other than mom because you like what they say, then don't worry about what other people think.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

I have many names: Mama, Ma-moo, Mommy Salami, Amanda, or Pea (which is what my DH almost always calls me.)

They are all fine with me, but I'm not overly fond of Ma-moo or Mommy Salami.


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

well ds calls me "mom-mom"... but he's 8 months so who knows if he even has any idea what he's saying in the first place.

dd will be 4 in oct. She calls me mommy most of the time. Sometimes she calls me mama. Occasionally she'll call me mom. Whatever fits her mood and goes along best with the conversation that follows it I guess. I don't think there is anything wrong with kids of any age calling their mom any version of the word mom. If kids start to feel embarrassed saying mommy or mama then I imagine they will make the switch to "mom" on their own.

I called my mom "mama" for quite a long time... still do sometimes. When talking ABOUT my mom I always say mom. When talking TO my mom (in public or not) I'll often use other versions.

To me, mom seems like simply a description of a mother, a lable. Mommy and mama seem endearing. I don't think there is a "formal" version. I do however find it tacky and disrespectful when kids call their parents (unless they have horrible parents who don't deverve the term) by their names rather than versions of mom & dad. I know some parents may prefer that... which I can't wrap my mind around but, it always erks me when I hear kids doing such.


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## jeliphish (Jul 18, 2007)

DD1 calls me mommy.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
I do however find it tacky and disrespectful when kids call their parents (unless they have horrible parents who don't deverve the term) by their names rather than versions of mom & dad. I know some parents may prefer that... which I can't wrap my mind around but, it always erks me when I hear kids doing such.

My son will refer to his dad as "my dad" when he's talking to other people, but he nearly always addresses him as "Josh". I think maybe its because a lot of people he knows (including me) have stepdads and call their parents "Mom" and "Stepdad's first name". I don't really know for sure why he does that. I wonder how many people have found us tacky or irksome, I never thought of it that way.


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## lafemmedesfemmes (Nov 16, 2003)

i'm always "mommy" to my boys, and that's fine with me.

i called my own mom "mommy" until i was well into my twenties, and then i got self-conscious about the fact that most adult people don't address their mothers that way. my brother, who is 9 years younger than i am, switched from "mommy" to "mom" long before i gathered up the nerve to do it-- my mom and i had a somewhat rocky relationship at the time, and i thought she would be offended!

















so, i'm okay with "mommy" and prepared to be "mom" or some other variant at some point in the future.  i've never heard of a mom insisting on a different title depending on the company she's in. weird.

christina


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## alicia622 (May 8, 2005)

DS calls me mommy, mom, Alicia, stupid mommy (that's his latest attempt to get a reaction when he's gumpy), mummy... It changes all the time. The only one I have a problem with is being called stupid mommy.


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## swd12422 (Nov 9, 2007)

I'm Mommy. My mother was always Mommy, til one day my sister and I decided we were too old to call her that, and started calling her Mom instead. I don't remember how old we were (still in school). She didn't care, as long as we didn't call her the other stuff we called her under our breath when we were mad at her! Same with my father -- Daddy til he became Dad later on.

I will say, though, that I hear DH refer to his parents (when talking with his siblings) as Mommy and Daddy. Because I somehow randomly decided that there is an arbitrary cut-off age to use those names, it sounds weird to me, especially b/c it's not stemming from affection but habit. But to each his own...


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## rubidoux (Aug 22, 2003)

I just adore it when my older ds calls me "mama" but he almost always calls me "mom" now. I hope ds2 will use mama.

My mother calls hers "mother" which I find sort of creepy. Seems very cold to me and it was kind of reflective of their relationship. Now I wonder if it left a good impression on others or if the just felt creeped out. lol


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aprons_and_acorns* 
My son will refer to his dad as "my dad" when he's talking to other people, but he nearly always addresses him as "Josh". I think maybe its because a lot of people he knows (including me) have stepdads and call their parents "Mom" and "Stepdad's first name". I don't really know for sure why he does that. I wonder how many people have found us tacky or irksome, I never thought of it that way.

it's just one of those things that throws me off. I can understand it in the situation where a child has a birth parent who is part of their life and a step parent who is also part of their life. In that situation it may be akward for the child to call the step parent "dad, mom, etc" or they might even feel like they are disrespecting their birth parent by calling the step parent by the same title. Idk.... but, that scenerio makes clear sense to me. It would just seem so odd to call a parent who is the only parent in the role of mom or dad (who is a positive player in a childs life) by their first name. It's just something that rubs me the wrong way I guess. My neighbor who is 15 calls her parents by their first names on occasion and in that case it's definatly a lack of respect. It's done to keep a pecking order and I want to jump in and say, "oh no you didn't!" to her every time.... but I don't







. Maybe it's just that everyone I've known personally who has called a parent by thier first name has done it with an undertone of disrespect or superioritity. ??


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## tbone_kneegrabber (Oct 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 

To me, mom seems like simply a description of a mother, a lable. Mommy and mama seem endearing. I don't think there is a "formal" version. I do however find it tacky and disrespectful when kids call their parents (unless they have horrible parents who don't deverve the term) by their names rather than versions of mom & dad. I know some parents may prefer that... which I can't wrap my mind around but, it always erks me when I hear kids doing such.

This statement bothers me. Some people don't like being called a version of "mom" or "dad" Also there probably 30 "mom, mommy, mama's" at the playground, but maybe only one "tbone" so why wouldn't it make sense to use someone's first name? Also, many people can speak to feeling like they lost part of their own identity when becoming a parent, and sometimes losing *your name* falls into that category.

I'm not saying you have to encourage or even *let* your children call you by your first name, but if it works for some else's family, then its not disrespectful or tacky. (I mean I personally would never as a grownup call my mother "mommy," but I am know that if that is what works for someone else's family, so be it, its not my family)


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## mamachelle (Jul 24, 2009)

DD calls me mama and DH daddy (she's 2). I'm flexible though. If she decides to call me mom or mommy instead that's fine, though I'd be a bit hurt by "mother"- definitely sounds cold to me. I remember when I was about 7 and my sister was 5, my mom told us that we could call her either mom or mommy, but NEVER mama (not that we ever did- we always called her mommy at that point). This was for 2 reasons I think: 1. we had a very new and slightly insane stepmom whose kids called her mama, and 2. my mom came from a family in which everyone says mama and I think she wanted to be as different from them as possible. In fact I think she said mama sounds uneducated. Looking back I can't believe she said that and personally I love it when DD calls me Mama. I've encouraged it from the beginning! Of course my mom always refers to me as "mommy" when talking to DD, even though I've never been known as that.







oh well, it doesn't bother me either way. I just find it very strange.

On another note DH and I both refer to our parents as mom and dad and have since well before we were teenagers. I guess after a point it felt too "childish" to me to continue with mommy and daddy, plus maybe this is sad but I don't usually feel all that affectionate when I talk to my parents. To me mommy and mama sound the most affectionate.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
it's just one of those things that throws me off. I can understand it in the situation where a child has a birth parent who is part of their life and a step parent who is also part of their life. In that situation it may be akward for the child to call the step parent "dad, mom, etc" or they might even feel like they are disrespecting their birth parent by calling the step parent by the same title. Idk.... but, that scenerio makes clear sense to me. It would just seem so odd to call a parent who is the only parent in the role of mom or dad (who is a positive player in a childs life) by their first name. It's just something that rubs me the wrong way I guess. My neighbor who is 15 calls her parents by their first names on occasion and in that case it's definatly a lack of respect. It's done to keep a pecking order and I want to jump in and say, "oh no you didn't!" to her every time.... but I don't







. Maybe it's just that everyone I've known personally who has called a parent by thier first name has done it with an undertone of disrespect or superioritity. ??

I know just what you mean, too. My sis and I used to call our mom by her first name behind her back when we were goofing around at her expense. My son doesn't do it disrespectfully, but he does it ALL the TIME! I wonder when it will stop. It doesn't seem to bother DH so he hasn't put a stop to it. I wonder how many extended family members are being silently annoyed by it.









OK, last time being off topic -- sorry!


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## tbone_kneegrabber (Oct 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
it's just one of those things that throws me off. I can understand it in the situation where a child has a birth parent who is part of their life and a step parent who is also part of their life. In that situation it may be akward for the child to call the step parent "dad, mom, etc" or they might even feel like they are disrespecting their birth parent by calling the step parent by the same title. Idk.... but, that scenerio makes clear sense to me. It would just seem so odd to call a parent who is the only parent in the role of mom or dad (who is a positive player in a childs life) by their first name. It's just something that rubs me the wrong way I guess. My neighbor who is 15 calls her parents by their first names on occasion and in that case it's definatly a lack of respect. It's done to keep a pecking order and I want to jump in and say, "oh no you didn't!" to her every time.... but I don't







. Maybe it's just that everyone I've known personally who has called a parent by thier first name has done it with an undertone of disrespect or superioritity. ??

well I have heard "mom" "ma" "mommy" all sound VERY disrespectful. But that doesn't *make* those terms disrespectful. To me, I was a person before I was anyone's parent, and I have an identity outside of being a parent, so using *my name* falls into the category of respecting/ knowing/valuing/acknowledging me in and out of my parental role.

Ds calls me "mamal" and sometimes "teresa" he calls his father "popel" and "jayson" ds also lives with a total of 4 other adults in our home, all of whom he calls by their first names (well as well as he can) and he hears them call me and dp by our first names. So its just want is normal to hear and say.


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tbone_kneegrabber* 
This statement bothers me. Some people don't like being called a version of "mom" or "dad" Also there probably 30 "mom, mommy, mama's" at the playground, but maybe only one "tbone" so why wouldn't it make sense to use someone's first name? Also, many people can speak to feeling like they lost part of their own identity when becoming a parent, and sometimes losing *your name* falls into that category.

I'm not saying you have to encourage or even *let* your children call you by your first name, but if it works for some else's family, then its not disrespectful or tacky. (I mean I personally would never as a grownup call my mother "mommy," but I am know that if that is what works for someone else's family, so be it, its not my family)

didn't say it *had* to be disrespectful. I just don't personally like it. Not saying I'm right or anyone else is wrong. I just don't personally like it... and I don't dislike it any less when it's someone else's kids. I think it's sort of like the cussing arguement... while some think it's just words and no biggie if kids do it, others find it "tacky" or "disrespectful". I don't want to loose my personal identity any more than anyone else but, to my children I am their mother. Yes, I'm an indivual too... but, mom never looses it's luster for me. If everyone else forgot my name and just started calling me "mom"... then yah, I'd hate it (like when people refer to me as dh's "wife" and otherwise nameless... thats ticks me off). Mommy is a label I'm never going to get tired of hearing from my kids.

I'm not making an arguement to encourgae others for or against something... just giving my personal opinion. Me no likey.


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rebeccajo* 
I'm Mama in all situations. I still call my mother Mama.

Same here. My husband actually laughs because I still call my parents Momma and Daddy.









My son uses "mom" when he's frustrated or can't get my attention, but otherwise they both still say Mama or Mommy.


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tbone_kneegrabber* 
Also there probably 30 "mom, mommy, mama's" at the playground, but maybe only one "tbone" so why wouldn't it make sense to use someone's first name?

We have told DS to use our names in these types of situations if he can't get our attention, but it does seem to bother other parents. It can be confusing, though, with lots of kids for a "mommy" to come from somewhere on the playground and not be able to pinpoint it.


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## alexsam (May 10, 2005)

Mine calls me Honey


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tbone_kneegrabber* 
Also there probably 30 "mom, mommy, mama's" at the playground, but maybe only one "tbone" so why wouldn't it make sense to use someone's first name?

My friends and I are frequent visitors to the indoor play areas in our town and we have found that we know when it is our child crying and when it is another child despite all of us expecting our kids to call us mama. We also make sure our kids know where we are so they can find us easily when they need/want to. None of our kids have gotten confused about who we are just because other people are also mama, so I just don't see this as an issue. I do think kids need to know their parent's names and cell phone numbers in case they get lost, but I don't think kids need to call their parents a unique name just because other people have the same name. If a parent wants to be called by their name then I think that is their choice, but it should be based on what they really want not on scenarios like this one.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Hmmm, i would have never thought of Mm as any more or less formal than Mommy. Mother maybe but I always think that sounds weird. . . .I don't think anyone would even notice your attempt to be more formal... My kids call me whatever variation of mom or mama or mommy or stinky face strikes them at the time. I do teach them to address others more formally until they have been invited to address them in a familiar way. but as for me, I have always let them pick what to call me anywhere on the mom spectrum. no matter what it is a nickname and I don't think any one is more formal than the next. nor do they ever need to be formal with me even in public. I can't imagine asking my boyfriend/husband not to call me his sweet name in public either. (assuming I had a boyfriend who had an affectionate nickname for me.....) If he called me honey or baby around the house I would not ask him to call me anything different in public. partners, children those are intiame relationships and I would never expect someone I had an intamate relationship with to ever have to be formal with me.

its especially weird to me to hear someone call their parents by their first name but whatever floats your boat. I mean really, I don't care what other people call each other. but I'm thew kind of person who rarely calls anyone that close to me by their name. honey, baby, mija, or a nickname only for them. ....and I am mom, tia, thea, auntie, babe and a few people even call me Alexandra and although it is by far the most formal thing I am called it is also something only those very close to me call me.


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## Mrs.Burke (May 14, 2009)

my eldest calls me mama and my youngest calls me mommy.







:


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

mommy in general. mama when being affectionate. mom when frustrated. ma when philosophical. doesnt matter where she is - formal or informal. depends on the mood.

in the park - my name. this is the only one i taught her. she would shout mom and i would have no clue who is calling which mom.


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## PPK (Feb 15, 2007)

DS is 2 and its either "Mama", "Mommy", or the occasional "MA!!"..







I don't know where he got that one from!


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## StrawberryFields (Apr 6, 2005)

They call me whatever, mom, mama, mommy. Usually mommy from my ds and mama from my dd. I have never heard of teaching them to call me something more formal in public, though. I REALLY don't think that my 3 year old calling me "mommy" leaves a lasting, poor first impression of him! Laying on the floor kicking his legs and screaming obscenities at me might do that--but calling me mommy in public, eh, probably not.


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## annie2186 (Apr 13, 2009)

I think my LO's all call me different versions as well (for the life of me - I can't really find one in my head that sounds 'normal' LOL)

The only thing I did was tell my 7yo to stop calling my DH Dada............yeah, that was bugging me! Daddy - fine! Dada - NO









Don't ask me why she was still calling him Dada................I think she was regressing after her little sister was born or something!


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## Peppermint Poppies (Jan 7, 2007)

DS calls me Mummy. I'm sure it will naturally become Mum over time, just as it did with my Mum. I'm OK with whichever one he prefers to call me.


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## Sheryl1678 (Sep 15, 2006)

DD1 calls me mom and I refer to myself as mom-mom to dd2 (9mo). They are both welcome to call me anything they want.

Strangely enough I call both of my girls (and all my female cats) 'mama' like a term of endearment. I don't know where I picked it up and everyone I know thinks I am looney.


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## Starflower (Sep 25, 2004)

DD calls me all sorts of names:

Mom, Mommy, Ma, Mama, Meemee, Meem and "M" (short for meemee), Momily and occasionally even calls me by my first name. I'm sure by the time this thread gets old, she'll find some new nicknames for me, too.

I don't really care if she uses any particular name for me in public though if she uses my first name, sometimes people look at me oddly. For a long while, she called her dad by his first name but now she calls him Dad or Daddy most of the time. Sometime da or pa or papa. And a couple variations on his first name that she thinks are cute.

And I still call my mom "Mom" but DH often calls his mom by her first name. They had a family business though, so he got used to doing it there.


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## wake_up (Aug 1, 2007)

Mine calls me mama, and his dad is papa. He recently called me by my first name a couple times, just testing it out I guess, since he hears others call me that. I'm fine with whatever he wants to call me, but it sounds so strange to me when I hear other kids calling their parents by first names.

What is it that makes me feel funny when kids do that? Is it an authority thing? I think it must be, because it's strange how much it weirds me out, for such a simple harmless piece of conversation. Maybe I'll get used to it as mine gets older.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Mommy, mom, mama. Never even occurred to me that one would be seen as a better impression than another. I have not asked them to do it at all they decide what they want to use and go with it.

I wouldnt even mind them calling me by my given name actually as long as it was done in a respectful manner.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sheryl1678* 
Strangely enough I call both of my girls (and all my female cats) 'mama' like a term of endearment. I don't know where I picked it up and everyone I know thinks I am looney.


i don't think that is weird at all. around here lots of girls are just refered to as Mommy , mama or little mommy/mama.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sheryl1678* 
Strangely enough I call both of my girls (and all my female cats) 'mama' like a term of endearment. I don't know where I picked it up and everyone I know thinks I am looney.









i do too and i get the same reaction. from both kids and adults.

its cultural for me. even my dad called me ma. rarely used my name.


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## elisheva (May 30, 2006)

Haven't read every reply, but I, too, was made to stop calling my dad "daddy" when I was 7. My stepmom told me it was too babyish. I get where OP is coming from.

That said, I think it's B.S. and if a kid wants to call a parent "Mommy" until he's 85, that's fine with me. I personally love being called Mommy and my ds1 has started to call me "Mom" on occasion







Oh well, his choice.


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## DaughterOfKali (Jul 15, 2007)

Ds calls me either Mom or Liz. (He's 6). He gets a kick out calling grown ups by their first name.

Sometimes he starts calling me "Mother" but then I start imagining him living in a creepy house on a hill as an adult.


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## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

DD calls me Mama and DH Dada. I really prefer Mama...I've never liked Mommy, my own Mom was always "Mama" (and still is occasionally).

MIL always refers to me as "Mommy" when talking to DD and it really irritates me. She also signs cards (to DH and I) "Mommy"...and again, I have no idea why it bothers me so much.


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## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

I'm Mommy and DH is Daddy. I call my own parents Mom and Dad and DH calls his parents Ma and Pop.


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## missme (Feb 22, 2009)

My sisters and I (22, 33, 36) call our mother 'mommy' or 'mama' and our father 'daddy' (although I like to call him 'Papi' sometimes). We use 'mom', 'dad', 'mother' and 'father' to tease them!

We love it, and they love it! We've always been proud!

p.s. My aunt said to me last year: "You're too old to call your father 'Daddy'."
My response: "I'm old enough to call him whatever I want!"


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## Beene (May 19, 2009)

MAMA. All the time.


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## kay4 (Nov 30, 2004)

they call me mom or mommy regardless of the stituation or where we are. I still call my mom 'mommy'


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

I'm mama mostly, sometimes mommy and once in a great while mom. DD has also started calling me "Mother Bear" like Little Bear's mom. I think it's kinda funny. She'll be like "yes Mother Bear."

She's only almost 3, but in public I could really careless her calling me mom or mommy, I just her to be polite saying it.


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## QueenOfThePride (May 26, 2005)

I encourage my kids to call me by my first name. I don't really like being called 'mom'. But they usually call me mom.


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## SkyMomma (Jul 13, 2006)

DS1 (5 years) ~ "Mama". Always. Since he was 6 months.
DS2 (10 mos) ~ "Mamamamamama!" Usually accompanied by the sign for 'nurse'.









Although I don't always love the nitty, gritty of parenting, I cannot express how much I love being "Mama" to my boys!







:


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## Jojo F. (Apr 7, 2007)

Whatever DS wants to call me. Most of the time it's Mom (he's 6 now) but, sometimes he calls me by my first name too.


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## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

My 2 year old calls me all sorts of things.. Mama, mommy, mommas, mom and Heather (my first name, she thinks its particularly funny to call me that).
My 9 month old just started calling for mama so Im jazzed about that..


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## clraelle (May 18, 2009)

My children call me mama, or mom, mommy when they were little. When refering to me to someone else its mother. ie: _My mother says I can come over this afternoon._
But with DH its dad or daddy.


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## Gelbe Blume (Jul 8, 2009)

DD calls me mama mostly because that's what we taught her, but sometimes she says mommy because she picked it up from her friends.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Mom, I prefer. Mommy is okay, but Mama, I don't allow.

DH is Dad, Father or Daddy. It depends on DS mood, and what is going on at the moment. Father, when leaving for work, and daddy when DS is in a whiny I am a baby mood.


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## EFmom (Mar 16, 2002)

Mom, mommy, mama, ma, mother, it's all music to my ears. My kids are 12 and 8, and will call me any of those.

It's Dad or Daddy for dh.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *spmamma* 
DD calls me "mama" (she's almost 26 months now). Most of the time I refer to myself as mama, but plenty of times I also say "mommy". I would love it if she always called me mama, but I don't mind if she calls me mommy as well. And I guess maybe she'll want to call me "mom" when she gets older, but that will be her choice.

This.
My dd calls me mommy which came as a surprise because I expected mama to continue and mommy also reminds me of mommy dearest(!) which is not a good connotation....Still secretly holding out for mama, but won't push the issue, it's her call.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
Mom, I prefer. Mommy is okay, but Mama, I don't allow.

DH is Dad, Father or Daddy. It depends on DS mood, and what is going on at the moment. Father, when leaving for work, and daddy when DS is in a whiny I am a baby mood.

Why don't you allow Mama? To me it is such a form of endearment! IS mom more formal to you like the OP said it was to her?


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## mom2ponygirl (Jun 6, 2006)

Mama with a French accent as a baby. It was so cute, not sure where she got it. Then I was Mommy, and now at age 10 I became Mom. It was funny because for awhile she just wouldn't call me anything. I finally asked her if she felt uncomfortable calling me Mommy. She was so relieved to say, yes! She tentatively began to say Mom and now that is who I am. LOL


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## SandraS (Jan 18, 2007)

Mama. Then when they get older it's Mom.

Never Mommy. That makes me cringe. My oldest does that to get to me. LOL


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## mariamadly (Jul 28, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alexsam* 
Mine calls me Honey










DH calls me Honey, but DS1 KNEW I was Mommy, so he ran it all together diplomatically when he was a toddler. I spent a few months being HoneyMommy. All one word.

They're 16 and 19 now, we're Mom and Dad.







:


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
Why don't you allow Mama? To me it is such a form of endearment! IS mom more formal to you like the OP said it was to her?


No, to my ears, Mama sounds flat and slightly southern country. I am from the South and love it, but Mama often comes out as Muh-Muh and it drives me insane.

I love the sound of Mother, because it is formal, but I would not require or ask that he call me mother.

Mom is nice and simple and appropriate for children of all ages. I would never call my Mother, Mommy, and I would not want my grown son to call me mommy either.


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## texmati (Oct 19, 2004)

Im 27 and still say mommy and daddy. I can't imagine changing at this point... I've even saved their email address that way on my work contacts!

That being said, does it change when you have your own children? DH has mentioned that he worries that the new kiddo will end up calling my dad, daddy, and then he'll be left out in the cold.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alexsam* 
Mine calls me Honey









DD too, sometimes, I forgot about that! I love it, I guess she gets it from DP calling me honey. It feels so special to here her call me honey, too. Love that!


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
No, to my ears, Mama sounds flat and slightly southern country. I am from the South and love it, but Mama often comes out as Muh-Muh and it drives me insane.

I love the sound of Mother, because it is formal, but I would not require or ask that he call me mother.

Mom is nice and simple and appropriate for children of all ages. I would never call my Mother, Mommy, and I would not want my grown son to call me mommy either.

So I'm guessing sounding southern-country to you = bad? (I never understand why people are so offended by that southern country accent. To me that is slightly offensive, I guess.)


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
So I'm guessing sounding southern-country to you = bad? (I never understand why people are so offended by that southern country accent. To me that is slightly offensive, I guess.)

You must have missed the sentence where I stated that I love the south!







That includes the drawl, even though I don't have one! Speaking with a drawl does not bother me, in fact I love some regional variations. Failing to enunciate Mama (or any words), coupled with a southern drawl is annoying. You might like the sound, but I don't. How is that offensive?


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## Areia (Mar 5, 2009)

My daughter usually calls me Mae which is Portuguese for mother. Sometimes, she says Mama. I don't have a preference, really. In fact, when she is older (she's just 2), she can also just use my first name if she wants.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
You must have missed the sentence where I stated that I love the south!







That includes the drawl, even though I don't have one! Speaking with a drawl does not bother me, in fact I love some regional variations. Failing to enunciate Mama (or any words), coupled with a southern drawl is annoying. You might like the sound, but I don't. How is that offensive?


I mean I read the part where you said you are from the south and love it. So frankly, it didn't make sense to me. I guess it really had nothing to do with the south, for you, but more just not liking the word and how it sounds.
I did misunderstand you, sorry! I do find, being from the south, that failing to enunciate is part and parcel along with the drawl and the accent, I can't really seperate it up.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Areia* 
My daughter usually calls me Mae which is Portuguese for mother. Sometimes, she says Mama. I don't have a preference, really. In fact, when she is older (she's just 2), she can also just use my first name if she wants.

I don't mind the first name thing, either, I mean to me it is just my name, and anyone can use it to referrence me. We are just people, I am not more her mother than I am a human with a name.


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## Karrie42 (Apr 19, 2008)

Our son Gabriel has two mamas. He calls me mama and I love this! For some reason I have an aversion to being called 'mommy.' Gabriel calls his other mom 'baba.' We choose 'baba' because it is a perfect blend of the feminine and masculine (just like my partner.) In some languages it means grandmother and in some languages it means father.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Karrie42* 
Gabriel calls his other mom 'baba.' We choose 'baba' because it is a perfect blend of the feminine and masculine (just like my partner.) In some languages it means grandmother and in some languages it means father.

That is very neat.


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## bits and bobs (Apr 7, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ericka1999* 
Since I have taught my kids to call me "mom" in certain public situations i.e in school, formal settings i.e wedding etc..
I think that the reason I do this to teach them to call me "mom" in certain public situations is because I get this from and was taught by my mother.

I'm not going to read the 4 pages first so I don't get influenced here!

Why do you need to teach your kids 2 different ways? What's wrong with them deciding?

I was made to call my parents one way-and it was a very unwise decision by my parents.

I advise letting your children choose.


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## mummyofan (Jun 25, 2008)

I finally decided to look at this thread as I thought it was a strange one the 1st time I checked it out...
I call my Mum Mummy, and Mum sometimes Mama. Mine call me Mummy. Can't think why you're worried about, well, what EXACTLY?? Never worry about the views of others, me included. Let them call you what they want....?
I hear my DD saying Mumeeeeeee, Mummeeeeeeeeee!!! so I'd best go!


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## Teenytoona (Jun 13, 2005)

The DSC call me Leah. I prefer DD to call me momma, but sometimes she calls me mommy, other times she calls me "Ee-Ah" because the other kids call me that. Then she grins like she knows she's getting away with something. heh.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I really don't care what they call me, although I'd be uncomfortable with "mommy" from an adult child. I don't want to be called by my first name, though. My first name is...generic. It's what I answer to with everybody else. Mom, mommy, and mama are special. I only those things to four people in the world, and I _love_ hearing it. I hope none of them ever decide to switch to calling me just what everyone else calls me. We have a special relationship as parent/child and I like terms that acknowledge it.


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## bluey (Apr 28, 2004)

I'm mummy, mom, or my favourite, MOM (said in the drawn out embarrassed way that preteens are experts at) If a day goes by without managing to get oldest dd to MOM me then it's a day wasted









Dp is dad or daddyhome. It's what little dd started calling him, I think from when she was really small and when he'd come home either myself or one of the olders would say "daddy's home!" and that's what she though his name was. It stuck and now he's mostly daddyhome from everyone.


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## Jessy1019 (Aug 6, 2006)

Mine call me mom, mommy, or mama . . . and my oldest recently has started calling me "Ma" a lot. I kinda like it!


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## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I'm Mama. I still call my own mother, "mama", too.

Sometimes, my 3 year old calls me mommy. It isn't my favorite, so I really, really don't encourage "mommy." I'm not sure why. But, I'm hoping it's a phase, and we'll go back to Mama soon.


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## puddingpop (Feb 1, 2004)

I'm Omma to my just-turned-one-year-old, and Mummy/Mum/Mama/Omma/Kimberly to my almost-four-year-old. I'm okay with any of them.


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## IntrovertExtrovert (Mar 2, 2008)

When he's first waking up and feeling snuggly I'm mama. When he's excited to see me come home from work I'm mommy & mama (as in "mommy's home! It's mama! It's mommy!")

When he dislikes what I've said, it's "but mom" with the vowel drawn out and taken over the world's biggest, most long-suffering hill. He can make the word "mom" have 3 syllables.


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## muldey (May 8, 2002)

I'm Mama,occasionally Mommy.My kids are 8 and 11.Their dad is Dada,occasionally Daddy.I







being called Mama.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I'm "Mommy." My ex husband is "Daddy". When there was a stepdad in the picture (DS' bio dad, but he left before DS was talking) he was "Dad."


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## darcytrue (Jan 23, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Porcelain Interior* 
Mommy. My kids are 7 and 13. I don't know how long mommy will hold out, but I can't imagine training my kids to call me something else in public.

ditto this. Our children are almost the same ages and mine still call me mommy. My oldest will call me mom when he chooses to, which is usually around other people outside the home, and that's okay. But I've never told them what to call me. It started out mommy and they can call me that for however long they would like.







I'm okay with mom too. I would prefer they never call me by my first name though.


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## Bug-a-Boo's Mama (Jan 15, 2008)

Mama all the time, no matter the situation. I'm sure it will change as he gets older, but I will not teach/train him to call me anything else.


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## minxin (Mar 9, 2003)

Ds calls me Jessica. I mostly like it, but i miss being "mom."


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## crl (May 9, 2004)

I'm mostly mama, but sometimes mommy or mom. DH is baba. (We adopted DS from China and the caregivers at his orphanage had taught him mama and baba.) The only thing I ever taught DS was that if someone asked "who is your dad" he should give them DH's name. I taught him that when he was little and I was afraid if he got lost he wouldn't understand the question because we use baba. But I've never tried to teach him to call us anything different.

I STILL call my father daddy. My mother was always mom (except when I was a really annoying 13 year old and she was sometimes mmmooooootttthhhheeerrrrr) and still is.

Catherine


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## crunchymamatobe (Jul 8, 2004)

Mostly, I'm Mama. But DS pronounces it with an O sound: "Momma." And he shortens it to "Mom" a lot. He's only two, and that seems very grown up. Sometimes he calls me by my first name, but only if he's in another room and wanting my attention. Which is exactly what DP does.










I remember becoming self-conscious about using "Mommy" and "Daddy" when I was about 9 or 10 years old, and switched to Mom and Dad, which is what we still use. My dad called his mother by her first name, which I thought was weird.

Quote:

The only thing I ever taught DS was that if someone asked "who is your dad" he should give them DH's name.
This is really important! If your child gets separated or lost, they should know your 'real' name.


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## chiromamma (Feb 24, 2003)

Mine call me mom, mommy, mama. I don't have a preference. I'm fine when they use my first name now and then. I know my DD is after something when she says "Mother."


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## dawncayden (Jan 24, 2006)

I went from calling my mom, 'mama' to 'mommy' to 'mom'.

Ds calls me mama, he's 3.5. Once he called me 'mom' and I kinda freaked, I don't like that name coming from someone so small, I guess. It's way too official sounding for me I guess. When I was 12, I started using 'mom', so I probably relate it to that.
I used to call my mom, 'mommy dearest' as a joke sometimes *shudder*


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

DS calls me mommy.

I don't think I would want to associate with the kind of people who would be put-off by the "informality" of a child addressing his/her mother by an affectionate diminutive of "mother."


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## Ericka1999 (Aug 4, 2009)

Well I just wanted to see everyone else's opinion, and see if I maybe should loosen a bit more.As it turns out I have loosen on that aspect now both of my daughters can call me mommy anywhere at anytime..I have thought about this for a while as it turns out it doesn't matter how at what place and at what time my daughters call me.Both of my daughters are like babies to me, and see them as sweet little girls.














:


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