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What did/do you call your parents' friends and your friends' parents?

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  • What did/do you call your parents' friends and your friends' parents?

    Growing up, my we always addressed our parents' friends and our friends' parents as "Mr. ___" or "Mrs. ___" (insert obligatory joke about how to pronounce "___" here). This custom seems to have fallen by the wayside; our daughter, for example, calls most of our friends by their first names -- with our and their approval. But my boss, who's pretty conservative, has taught her kids to address her friends by the honorifics Mr. or Mrs. And I have friends who split the difference by using Mr. or Ms. plus a first name, e.g. "Mr. Dave." Then there's the whole thing about calling friends of the family Uncle or Auntie, which seems to be reserved for good friends in the US but seems used much more liberally in Asia.

    So how does/did it work for you?

    edit: This was supposed to be a poll, but I screwed up.
    "I have as much authority as the pope. I just don't have as many people who believe it." — George Carlin

  • #2
    I alway called up by their fist name, but you have to be very polite. Saying their first name in a very polite "tone".
    bleh

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    • #3
      first name unless I cant rtemember it (quite likely) in which case it is mrs _____. Same deal with my gardening clients and they dont seem concerned enough to correct me
      Safer worlds through superior firepower

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      • #4
        I'm glad we don't have this problem in Denmark, everybody calls everybody by their first names. I would be insulted if someone calls me Mr.
        This space is empty... or is it?

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        • #5
          Very close friends of my parents got called Uncle and Aunt. First names for other friends.

          For parents of friends, I sometimes fall into the habit of "Hello X's Mum/Dad" or sometimes engage in such verbal sumersaults to avoid having to figure out what's polite and acceptable.
          Exult in your existence, because that very process has blundered unwittingly on its own negation. Only a small, local negation, to be sure: only one species, and only a minority of that species; but there lies hope. [...] Stand tall, Bipedal Ape. The shark may outswim you, the cheetah outrun you, the swift outfly you, the capuchin outclimb you, the elephant outpower you, the redwood outlast you. But you have the biggest gifts of all: the gift of understanding the ruthlessly cruel process that gave us all existence [and the] gift of revulsion against its implications.
          -Richard Dawkins

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          • #6
            For parents of friends, often used Mr and Mrs followed by the first letter of the surname. e.g Mr or Mrs K. Else used their first name if it felt more appropriate.
            One day Canada will rule the world, and then we'll all be sorry.

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            • #7
              It'll be interesting to see if this varies when by region; the uS is still asleep.
              "I have as much authority as the pope. I just don't have as many people who believe it." — George Carlin

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              • #8
                Most of the time, I wouldn't call them, specially when I was younger.
                This may sound funny, but you'd be surprised how much you can discuss with someone without having to actually adress them.

                If I knew them a bit more, I would call them by first name.

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                • #9
                  Parents' friends: First name

                  Friends' parents: Mr/Mrs _____
                  I don't know what I am - Pekka

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                  • #10
                    "Hey dude"

                    JM
                    Jon Miller-
                    I AM.CANADIAN
                    GENERATION 35: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

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                    • #11
                      I wasn't allowed to talk to my parents' friends.
                      “As a lifelong member of the Columbia Business School community, I adhere to the principles of truth, integrity, and respect. I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
                      "Capitalism ho!"

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