How do you address your in-laws?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by FarrahWaters

Wow, you really are a hippie.

Shortly after being married, my FIL pulled me aside and asked me to call them mom and dad. If I didn't feel like I could do this, I should address them as Brother and Sister Waters. First names would be seen as disrespectful.

This made me uncomfortable. They are not my parents, so I couldn't bring myself to call them mom and dad. I called them Brother and Sister Waters a few times, but that felt too weird. Now I avoid addressing them at all. Now that I have kids, maybe I can just refer to them as grandma and grandpa.

Interesting story. I never would have guessed that.

So, did the apple fall far from the tree? Does Mike insist you address him as "Dr. Waters"?

[DirtyHippieUTE]

Originally Posted by FarrahWaters

Wow, you really are a hippie.

People always think that is so weird. I think my relationship with my parents was really normal. My old man is a pretty standard Utah mormon, work(ed) for the LDS church, does his home teaching, wears suits from Mr Mac.

My mother is just your average Molly.

I've just always called my old man by his first name and other nick-names.

[Donuthole]

My mom and dad always referred to their in-laws as mom and dad, so I just thought that was how it worked. When I got married, I realized how strange that is, at least to me. My wife has no problem calling my parents mom and dad, but i'm glad her parents don't want me to refer to them as that, because that just wouldn't work. (Though I did call my MIL mom for a 6 month stretch just to bug her. We're tight like that. :S) Besides, my FIL is named Vern, so every time I get to refer to him, it's a treat.

[DrumNFeather]

I address them by their first names.

How do they address me? Sir!

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by marsupial

That's funny. I remember when I told my dad how uncomfortable I felt calling my in-laws Mom and Dad his response was, "well, start having kids and then you can just call them Grandma and Grandpa." I think he mostly just wanted us to get going on getting him some grandkids.

I call my mother in law grammy or her first name... My father in law is always his first name.

I even have a hard time saying I love you to my in-laws. with my father in law its not a problem but my mother in law (who I honestly think couldnt be a better mother in law) it becomes difficult as she says it to us.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Donuthole

My mom and dad always referred to their in-laws as mom and dad, so I just thought that was how it worked. When I got married, I realized how strange that is, at least to me. My wife has no problem calling my parents mom and dad, but i'm glad her parents don't want me to refer to them as that, because that just wouldn't work. (Though I did call my MIL mom for a 6 month stretch just to bug her. We're tight like that. :S) Besides, my FIL is named Vern, so every time I get to refer to him, it's a treat.

Mine FIL's name is Ralph.... that is also a treat

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

People always think that is so weird. I think my relationship with my parents was really normal. My old man is a pretty standard Utah mormon, work(ed) for the LDS church, does his home teaching, wears suits from Mr Mac.

My mother is just your average Molly.

I've just always called my old man by his first name and other nick-names.

your not the only one... I call my parents by their first names or some nick-name like Goofle mcguilagudy for my dad or "toots" for my mom (when I want to piss her off)

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

Mine FIL's name is Ralph.... that is also a treat

Why would anybody call his father or mother by first name?

Dad, or father, is a term of endearment for me, deserved for only one earthly person, and one celestial being. In my iconoclastic world, it seems disrespectful and unloving to call dad by his first name.

[BigFatMeanie]

I see my inlaws maybe once a year. I called them "Mr. Lastname" and "Mrs. Lastname" until our kids were born. Once my kids were born I switched to calling them "Grandma Lastname" and "Grandpa Lastname" - the same as what my kids call them. The fact that I was engaged to their daughter before they even knew she had a boyfriend and that I "asked for permission" over the phone before they had ever met me has always contributed to the stiff relationship I have with my inlaws. My wife also calls my parents Grandma Lastname and Grandpa Lastname.

My wife's sister-in-law (i.e. my wife's brother's wife) calls her inlaws "Mom and Dad" and it seems so artificial and brown-noser to me. It just really makes me cringe when I hear her refer to my wife's parents as "Mom and Dad".

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

I see my inlaws maybe once a year. I called them "Mr. Lastname" and "Mrs. Lastname" until our kids were born. Once my kids were born I switched to calling them "Grandma Lastname" and "Grandpa Lastname" - the same as what my kids call them. The fact that I was engaged to their daughter before they even knew she had a boyfriend and that I "asked for permission" over the phone before they had ever met me has always contributed to the stiff relationship I have with my inlaws. My wife also calls my parents Grandma Lastname and Grandpa Lastname.

My wife's sister-in-law (i.e. my wife's brother's wife) calls her inlaws "Mom and Dad" and it seems so artificial and brown-noser to me. It just really makes me cringe when I hear her refer to my wife's parents as "Mom and Dad".

I am one of the few I guess who got along with his in-laws just fine. Perhaps I should have taken their comments as an omen.

A: May I marry your daughter?

FiL: Are you sure you want to? She has quite the temper. No giving her back, once you say yes.

MiL: I don't know how you do it, because she's one hellion.