Q: Your child starts calling you by your first name. You're not comfortable with this. Should you address it right away or wait to see if it's just a phase?
This is not uncommon with children, especially younger children. Once they learn you have a name other than mommy or daddy, they will most certainly explore the use of that name.
You should address it right away.
I had this situation with my daughter, when she was younger, and this was what I told her: "Yes, that is my name. I have a name just as you do, but because I am your mommy, that's what you would call me. Out of respect, you are not to call me by my first name."
Also, if the kid gets lost in a store and someone asks his parents' names, he will know those are the names he is supposed to use. In terms of etiquette, it's one of the first ways to introduce our children to authority figures, to address these people by their proper titles.
_ Elaine Swann, speaker, author and etiquette expert
If your kid calls you by your first name and you don't like it, tell him so. Right away.
Reacting the first time allows you to keep the stakes low _ and maybe even to gain some insight about your kid. Throw your kid a look of bemused surprise, and say something like, "You just called me Lauren instead of mom. What's up with that?"
Your kid may actually provide an interesting answer. Maybe his new friend at school calls his parents by their first names. Maybe using your first name makes him feel mature, or maybe he's angling for increased independence and wants to signal to you that he's ready to be more than mommy's sweet little boy.
If you feel a conversation opening up, dive in. While the talk certainly shouldn't end with your agreeing to be called something you're not comfortable with, it may still lead to a new understanding of what's going on in your kid's precious _ but often totally mystifying _ head.
_ Elaine Rose Glickman, parenting advice columnist, former teacher and author of "Your Kid's a Brat and It's All Your Fault: Nip the Attitude in the Bud _ from Toddler to Tween"
