"Mother" "Father" "Aunt" "Uncle" etc - Are These Titles Necessary?

[Yammas]

I dont think being older means you deserve respect, but on the other hand my OH's brother suddenly started encouraging his children to call me aunty, although I feel uncomfortable being referred to as such, when in all fairness they made clear I'm not their aunt. At christmas and birthdays they gave OH uncle cards from his neice and nephew with no mention to me and then I'd get just a normal card or 'partner' card (we'd only been together a couple of months before OH's brother had 1st LO) so I can see why they did it, if we broke up then I wouldnt be their aunt anymore so now weve been together 2 years and are engaged I suppose thats why they had a change of heart but now I feel like a stranger to them.

So its not just the labels we impose on ourselves but those we impose on others as well.

 

[fidgets mammy]

i think mams dads grandads and nannas should be called by that. for a few reasons, as a parent yr there not only to love and cherish them but to teach them, advise them and ensure they turn into decent people so thats not being equal. also it gives children reassurance and structure and a general feeling of belonging both to and from them.
that said-i encourage my son to have his own opinions and reasons but he knows im his "mam" and that i put things in place for a reason. i have always wanted to be a mammy and love hearing that special word-anyone can all me paula only my children call me mammy. thats priceless.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I dont really use them, we just call most people by there names!

 

[stardust599]

I think they are important. But disagree with loads of friends being called aunties etc. OH tries to refer to his close friends as Auntie/Uncle and I hate it. I also feel uncomfortable when friends refer to me as "Auntie" to their child as I really don't have that much involvement with their children and feel that the title is only for a relationship with so much more!

My LO has Mummy, Daddy, Nanny and Papa and Auntie K (my sis). I don't refer to my brother as Uncle cos he's only 18 and still very childlike and it's doesn't feel "right". Same with OH's sister - we don't call her Auntie cos she only sees LO 2/3times a year. OH's parents are a formal "Grandma and Grandad" because they aren't very involved with LO either.

I never refer to my Aunts/Uncles as auntie/uncle as I only see them a few times a year! I just have my Nana, my Mum and my Dad and call the rest of the family by their name.

It's hard to explain but the names to LO are special. It's the people who are bringing her up, the people she can trust, her family, her life. I think someone else put it nicely when they said it signifies/emphasises the special, important and strong bond between LO and Mummy/Daddy etc.

OH and his sister often call their Mum and Dad by their first names rather than Mum/Dad as they are quite detached from them and are closer to their grandparents who are always called Granny and Pap I think.