As someone who didn't grow up using titles, I find it odd when people do use them, but I also know it's a cultural thing. If you grow up believing it's important that kids address adults with their titles, I respect that.
My kids' teachers use titles, and my neighbor calls herself Ms., so that's what my kids call them. And since part of our job as parents is to teach our kids to respect others, we definitely don't stop our kids from using titles.
My problem comes with people who think kids who don't use titles are disrespectful. I found this issue discussed on a forum, and while I know it's a cultural issue, I just can't accept that premise. Here are some of the comments:
I now have 1 friend who likes to have the kids call her by her first name and nothing else. I have heard it helps her feel like she is not getting older.
I'm always happy to accept other parents' decisions. My way is the right way for me, and that's all it is. But how can someone talk about respect, while using this as an excuse to slam his "1 friend," saying she likes people to refer to her by her first name because it helps her feel younger. That's absurd and ironically disrespectful.
you can tell which families are the class acts by how their kids address adults.
I've had to correct my kids when someone says "Oh, just call me Firstname" I don't care if they want to be called by their first name, at the very VERY least, it's Mr/Mrs Firstname.
So this is how you teach respect for adults? By ignoring their wishes and forcing your own ideas of respect on them? After one member says he only uses his first name around kids, another person tells him that no matter what, if his kids ever meet him, they will call him "Mr. [Lastname]."
Which makes me think it's not about respect. Using titles might have something to do with tradition and with local cultures, but it has nothing to do with respect. I've been wrong before (probably), and if anyone disagrees with me, I'd love to hear another view.
