Children addressing adults

bylromarha

I've never been called mate by a child either, and I meet a fair few of them.

They either call me Mrs Byl or by my first name.

toadhall

I've never been called mate by a child, maybe it's a regional thing? I have taught my children to call adults Mr or Mrs unless invited to call them by the first name. I do the same myself and always ask permission for a first name rather than presume.

Snakey

You're getting old, mate!

gt568

I refuse to acknowledge a child until it is looking at the floor and tugging its forelock.

missbiggles1

toadhall wrote: »

I've never been called mate by a child, maybe it's a regional thing? I have taught my children to call adults Mr or Mrs unless invited to call them by the first name. I do the same myself and always ask permission for a first name rather than presume.

I wish other people did this - I hate being addressed by my first name, unless I've given it or someone has asked, particularly by children.

Kaye1

My LO goes to church with the school each week and when they cross the road they are expected the thank the crossing attendant. She said a lot of the boys started saying 'cheers, mate,' to him.
The teacher then gave them a quick chat about he is Mr. W......... and they are to call him that, not mate.
It would have never occurred to my LO to call him mate, but I expect once one of the boys started doing it, the other boys started too.

Jagraf

I am in my forties, and still call my mum and dads closest friends 'auntie' and 'uncle'. This is now almost obsolete but hasn't been replaced with anything respectful, as I still find when my daughter calls my friends by their first name its not quite respectful enough - there almost needs to be a word we use between first name and Mrs, I think the Indian culture has one as my sis in law calls lots of her parents friends by their name with another word after it - can't remember what it is now.

I was called sweetheart by a 16 year old boy serving me the other day. So I called him a little sausage which he didn't appreciate at all.

Savvy_Sue

Come to Bristle, where 'my lover' (in broad Bristolian) is still deemed an appropriate form of address between adults! :rotfl:

And 'cheers, Drive' is the thing to say when you get off the bus.

I haven't heard any children using 'mate' but then I don't have much contact with them these days.

Mojisola

I don't mind whether people say mate or love or pet or anything else.

If the person isn't intending to insult me, I won't take offence.

bylromarha

Jagraf wrote: »

I think the Indian culture has one as my sis in law calls lots of her parents friends by their name with another word after it - can't remember what it is now.

I get called Bylro Aunty by my Indian side. I hate it. I met one relative for the first time a couple of years ago. She is 2 years younger than me and immediately began calling me Bylro aunty. She picked up on my inward cringing, so explained to me that as I am of the family generation above her, she was showing me respect and expected by her mother, my cousin, to call me aunty, so she did.