Why Some Children Call Their Parents by Their First Names

Publish date: 2024-09-01

One of the biggest concerns for you as a parent is likely to teach your kid to show respect when greeting or meeting people, like saying “hello” when introduced to someone new, using “please” and “thank you,” and using formal titles when addressing older people.

But is this formal titling so important when it comes to family members? Some parents prefer to be called “Mom” and “Dad” by their children, and some don’t mind being called by their first names, as long as respect is shown through actions.

We at Bright Side made some research to know the reasons behind this behavior and what parents think about it. So keep scrolling to find out!

Today’s kids have different morals and beliefs.

Lately, we’ve started to notice a huge generation gap when it comes to the “respect your elders” rule. It’s true that respect is related to the education given by the parents or the culture, but things have changed quite a bit due to external factors.

We can still see respect toward older people, but the methods are not the same. Kids can now approach older people and talk to them freely, sharing their point of view, making conversation, and socializing in a meaningful way, while it wasn’t so common before. They also feel that respect can be shown with actions, not just words.

They’re looking for a casual, friend-like relationship between parents and children.

Some kids chose to call their parents by their first names because they want a less formal relationship with them. Since they are able to call their closest friends, with whom they’re able to share everything, by their first name, they believe that the first step to establishing a “friend-like” relationship with their parents is a way of bonding.

They are doing the mimic game.

Your child might be calling you by your first name instead of “Dad” or “Mom” because they’ve been hearing it inside the house. According to specialists, “Children hear their parents and other adults calling each other by their first names, and they want to mimic them.”

They’re trying to let you know that they’re memorizing what’s happening near them. So calling your wife/husband often by their first name in front of the kids might also push them to do the same.

The kids are dipping their toes into adulthood.

This one goes along with the act of mimicry that children often do. Based on what they see, calling others by their first names is an adult behavior, which can help them grow faster and look like their idols, their parents. They want to follow all the rules to grow up fast, and to them, calling older people by their first names is one of them.

Some parents actually like it.

Coming from a time when calling your parents by their names was taboo, we see that some parents actually enjoy it. Some have struggled with motherhood/fatherhood and felt relieved when they didn’t hear the word mom/dad a lot. It’s like it stripped them of the pressure of being the perfect parents to their children. “I don’t have to be a responsible mummy when I’m Val,” one mother explained.

Does your kid call you by your first name? And do you like it? We’d love to know about it in the comments!