Now be nice!!! LOL

I'm just curious. What do you call your in-laws? My mil wanted me to call her "mama" from day one, and I tried for several years, but recently I have began calling her by her first name because I have never felt comfortable calling her "mama" since I am neither "southern" nor do I care much for her personally although I am always civil. My dh calls my parents by their first names. My dad has always called my mom's parents "mom" and "dad" while my mom doesn't call my dad's parents anything at all. She talks to them, but doesn't use any name for them.

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity.

By Trina~moderator on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 05:53 pm:

Interesting question. Neither of my in-laws are living any longer so it's not an issue. However, when they were alive I had no problems calling my MIL "Mom" because she was a sweetheart. In many ways I was closer to her than my own mother. I never could call my FIL "Dad". He wanted the kids to call him "Pa" so I addressed him that way, too. LOL!

DH calls my parents "Mom" and "Dad" or "Grandma" and "Grandpa" when the kids are involved.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 05:55 pm:

I call them by their names. I don't care for them enough to use the words "Mom" and "Dad" {{barf}} LOL!

DH calls my Mom "Mom" and my stepdad by his name.

By Frasersmama on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:00 pm:

I call my in-laws by their first names.

By Missmudd on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:03 pm:

Inlaws by first names or grandma or grandpa. Just never felt comfortable calling them by mom or dad because they aren't, at least mine.

By Cat on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:13 pm:

I call my in-laws by their first names, but then again so do my dh and his sisters! lol Strange family dynamics...

By Andyjoy on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:27 pm:

I call my in-laws by their first names, and dh calls my parents by their first names. My mom calls my dad's parents, "Mom Ring" & "Dad Ring."

By Tink on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:33 pm:

I call my in-laws by their first names most of the time, although I do occasionally call my MIL by Mom. She doesn't live nearby and we aren't very close but I like her a lot.

My dh is much closer to my mom and calls her Mom. He calls my step-dad Mike, just like I do.

By Yjja123 on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:38 pm:

To their face or behind their back ? LOL
To their face I call them by their names.

By Amecmom on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:40 pm:

I call my FIL "dad" and my husband calls my mom "ma" and my father "pop". My husband's mother passed away and I call my FIL's wife by her first name.
I don't mind calling him "dad" because it's something I never called my father (he's Papa).
Also, he treats me like a daughter and is a sweetheart, so I give him the respect of calling him "dad".
Ame

By Heaventree on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 06:43 pm:

I now call them by their first names. I had a hard time with this as I had such a tremedous about of respect for them that I would have rather called them Mr. and Mrs., but no one else did so I finally caved and I'll them by their first names.

By Jann on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 07:21 pm:

I have parents. I call my inlaws by their first names. My inlaws, btw, call each other mom and dad which makes me crazy too! LOL

By Karen~moderator on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 07:28 pm:

I have always called them by their first names; however after my Mom died this year, I told my MIL she was the only Mom I had left, and I called her Mom. Now she is gone too.

By Kate on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 08:35 pm:

If I have no way of physically getting their attention or they are not looking right at me, I have to resort to the dreaded 'mom' and 'dad'. I HATE it. I SO want to call them by their first names!! Basically I call them nothing at all. I avoid it as much as possible. My sister in law calls them by their first names....she came along a lot later than me and she was in her forties at the time, while I was engaged to their son at age 20. So the age thing probably has a lot to do with it. But oh I wish we had the first name thing going!! Still, it would be awkward to suddenly start calling them by first names after knowing them for 17 years and calling them mom and dad when necessary.

By Kernkate on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 09:02 pm:

I always called them by their first names. God rest them they are both deceased now. And they were the best in laws anyone could ask for

By Paulas on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 09:04 pm:

I call them by their first names when I have to call them at all. I'd rather not call them anything but that won't happen. I had a mom and dad (both deceased now) and in NO WAY would I call the in-laws mom and dad

By Jtsmom on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 09:50 pm:

I love my mother-in-law, but have felt weird calling her mama, or even by her first name. (Don't know why, probably the way I was brought up, "always call your elders Mr or Mrs".) So to be honest I don't recall (in 7 yrs) ever addressing her by her name. When I call I just say "hey its me" and it goes from there. I too must add, I have the best mother in law ever!

By Kay on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 10:25 pm:

My dh and I started dating when I was just 16, so they were Mr. and Mrs. After we married 7 seven years later, my mil brought it up and invited me to call her by her first name - it was awkward at first, and after 23 years no problem at all.

My fil's name is the same as my dh's, so it's funny when I call his name and they both look up (well, my son, too, because he's the 'third'.)

The gf/bf of my ds/older dd call us by our first names, and the bf just out-and-out asked 'now, what would you like for me to call you?' I told him that as long as it wasn't obscene, I didn't care. LOL

By Brandy on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 11:49 pm:

wow i thought i was the only one who called my mil and fil by their first names lol the things you learn..now his grandparents were grandma and grandpa and then their last name = ) ...

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:02 am:

Well, no more in-laws in my family, but I did call Gary's dad, Ralph. I suppose I would have just called his mom, Alice, if she had still been around.

I never CALLED him Grandpa, but I often referred to him as Grandpa, when we talked about him. Even my SIL called him Grandpa!

My SILs and BIL are called by first names.

DH calls my parents by their first names.

By Bellajoe on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 03:11 pm:

I don't really call them anything. I do talk to them of course but do not address them as anything.

When i need to get their attention or something i call them mom and pa (that's what dh calls them)

I don't feel comfortable calling them mom or dad or by their first names. I like them but don't think they are great or anything. Don't tell dh!

they are usually referred to as grandma and grandpa

By Melanie on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 04:34 pm:

I call them by their first names. I wouldn't be comfortable calling them mom and dad. Dh calls my parents by their first names.

By Rayanne on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 10:17 pm:

I call them by their names.

By Kaye on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 12:17 am:

By their first names. I only had one mom, i can't imagine sharing that name with anyone else.

However, now and again I call them "nonnie" and "peepaw".

By Babysitbarb on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 10:52 am:

My FIL has passed away but, when he was alive I called him by his first name.
My MIL, well that's a different subject. I usually refer to her as everything but, her real name and trust me they aren't nice names.We don't speak to each other and haven't for years. Long story.

By Reds9298 on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 11:33 am:

First names...don't like them enough to call them mom and dad and wouldn't anyway.

By Pamt on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 03:42 pm:

First names

By Marcia on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 07:37 pm:

First names if the kids aren't around, but I refer to them as Grandma and Grandpa if they are.

By Imamommyx4 on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 07:04 pm:

Ditto Marcia