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Do your kids call your friends Aunt and Uncle?

Forum Opinion Poll
No, that should be reserved for family only 67 24.91%
Yes, some friends are like family and deserve the title 199 73.98%
Other? 3 1.12%
 

"Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted By Message
Pages: 1 [2] 3

Kmarie36
LIF Adult

Member since 9/10

1449 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by MrsW2010

sometimes friends are closer than family...and its a respect thing for me... to each their own, if you dont like it then put a stop to it



I agree. I have no problem with it at all. We have good friends who call us aunt/uncle and same goes with my DD. I see nothing wrong with it. They are closer to my dd than some family members.

Posted 1/15/12 12:12 PM
 

lynnd126
LIF Adult

Member since 3/11

2630 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by springchick

sorry for crashing but I am one of those friends that consider myself a fake Aunt to some of my friends kids. If the parents dont like it I wish they say something to me rather than just pretend they are OK. the longer they dont say something the worst I would feel when I figure it out. Please know that they say it not to impose but because they love your child as family and want your child to know that they can count on them as family too.



I understand what you mean and that's why I would never say anything. I hope/ don't think they will never figure it out that I think it's silly b/c I will never every say anything about it to anyone. I guess that's bc for me it's not that I disapprove or really actively "don't like it"- I just think it's stupid b/c you can be a GREAT friend without being an "aunt". To me the word aunt means your parent's sibling. But I see how many people give it a different meaning.

Posted 1/15/12 1:03 PM
 

jam11308

Member since 11/07

7273 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I voted "other." To me aunt & uncle mean family. It's not about the quality of the relationship because, as the pp stated, you can be a GREAT friend without being called aunt or uncle. None of my friends do it so it's really a non-issue for me.

That being said, though, I do call 1 non-blood relationship an aunt. It's my SIL's mom...we spend almost all of our holidays with her, she babysits for us & she really treats ds as if he were one of her grandkids. I'm ok w/calling her aunt because even though it's through marriage & we're not really related at all, there is a familial bond of some sort even though it's a weak one. She's really the only person I'm ok with using it with though...

Posted 1/15/12 1:12 PM
 

Nayia
<3 <3 <3

Member since 10/07

1824 total posts

Name:
Penny

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by MrsFlatbread

Posted by MrsW2010

sometimes friends are closer than family...and its a respect thing for me... to each their own, if you dont like it then put a stop to it

Chat Icon

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Posted 1/15/12 1:41 PM
 

BeachGal
LIF Adult

Member since 2/10

2827 total posts

Name:
J

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by lynnd126

I think it's stupid and I never introduce it but some of my friends call themselves aunts and I don't say anything bc it's not that important to me. If my kids ever ask I'll explain but right now they're too young.




Ditto

Posted 1/15/12 2:24 PM
 

MichLiz213
Life is Good!

Member since 7/07

7979 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

We did this growing up to my mom's best friend and her husband. Our kids and us referred to each other as cousins. We were all close and it worked for us.

We do the same with my best friend and her husband. We refer to them as aunt and uncle to our DS because they are so important to us and our son.

Posted 1/15/12 2:28 PM
 

cds58019
The loves of my life :)

Member since 6/08

4276 total posts

Name:
Candice

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

We only have 1 set of friends that our kids will call aunt and uncle. They have been better to us then some of our own family memebers have at times. So yes I think they are very deserving of the title. They are also the twins' godparents.

I grew up with two sets of "aunts and uncles" that weren't blood related. They were my parents best friends. So I guess that's why it's not weird for me.

Posted 1/15/12 2:34 PM
 

Stacey1403
Where it all began....

Member since 5/05

24065 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by MrsW2010

sometimes friends are closer than family...and its a respect thing for me... to each their own, if you dont like it then put a stop to it



Same here :)

My kids call my BFF Aunt and she is J"s Godmother. In my eyes she IS their Aunt Chat Icon

Posted 1/15/12 2:51 PM
 

carlowlou
loving my babies!

Member since 4/08

4594 total posts

Name:
Jen

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

not my thing. I dont really like when people call themselves my kids' aunt or uncle when they actually are not but I dont say anything. To me, their aunts and uncles are only the people that are their ACTUAL aunts and uncles. Other people may be very close to us but they do not have the title. Just something I am not into.

Posted 1/15/12 2:57 PM
 

Hofstra26
Love to Bake!

Member since 7/06

27915 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

My DD calls my best friends and their DH's aunt and uncle and they do the same with us. I think it's sweet but it's also nicer than just having her call them by their first names. I don't really care for that and I *personally* think that using Mr. and Mrs. is just entirely too formal for our friends who we consider family. Chat Icon

Posted 1/15/12 4:03 PM
 

KartveliT
...

Member since 1/08

8363 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

what would your kids call them otherwise? By their first name?

I don't have a problem with it, for me it's a respect thing, I would never allow my DC to call my friends or DH's friends by their first name and ms,mrs,mr is a bit too formal when it comes to close friends IMO.

Posted 1/15/12 4:47 PM
 

nbc188
Best friends!

Member since 12/06

23090 total posts

Name:
C

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I have never understood this, at all..."aunt/uncle" is a relative. I get the close friend thing, I am 100% closer with some of our friends than we are with our aunts or uncles....but we still don't have our DDs call our friends aunt or uncle.

MIL will refer to DH's cousins as "aunt sally" to DD...um, she's not even DH's aunt, much less his kids' aunt. Chat Icon She does it with her friends too, who aren't even related or OUR close friends (but are her friends).

Obviously to each their own, but I have never understood this.

ETA: We use people's first names, unless it's someone I would call Mr. or Ms.

Message edited 1/15/2012 5:09:58 PM.

Posted 1/15/12 5:08 PM
 

CrankyPants
I'm cranky

Member since 7/06

18178 total posts

Name:
Mama Cranky

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

My best friend and her husband are the only ones we call aunt/uncle that aren't blood. I've known her since I was 11, they live right around the block and we see them 3 or 4 times a week.

If I had a lot of siblings maybe I would think of it differently but they really are like family.

I don't like when my kids call adults by their first name. We use Mr/Miss first name for other friends. It's less formal and seems to be they way most people do things around here.

Posted 1/15/12 5:15 PM
 

sarahbelle
Little drummer boy

Member since 5/05

2377 total posts

Name:
Sarah

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I love it. I am beyond thankful that our friends care about our kids and want to be in their lives. With my sister in SC and DH's brother in Cleveland, if it weren't for these "fake" aunts and uncles, my kids would have no one.

Posted 1/15/12 5:35 PM
 

wingsofsong
My 3 little loves <3<3<3

Member since 1/09

7395 total posts

Name:
Maureen

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by KartveliT

what would your kids call them otherwise? By their first name?



Yes, they go by first name to them. I guess it's something I'm used to because I work in a preschool where all of the teachers/therapists/administrators go by first name to the kids. It's comfortable for me.

Posted 1/15/12 6:06 PM
 

KartveliT
...

Member since 1/08

8363 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by wingsofsong

Posted by KartveliT

what would your kids call them otherwise? By their first name?



Yes, they go by first name to them. I guess it's something I'm used to because I work in a preschool where all of the teachers/therapists/administrators go by first name to the kids. It's comfortable for me.

ok , well if that's what you are comfortable with that's what you do . Your kids , your friends, your business .
The way I grew up I would not dare to call an adult by their first name, even not so close friends or neighbors, it was a a matter of respect , it's considered rude to call friends and family by their first name, but it's also a cultural thing so that's what I'm teaching my DC.
Whatever you are comfortable with that's what you do Chat Icon

Posted 1/15/12 6:34 PM
 

NewLeaf2012
LIF Adult

Member since 1/11

2741 total posts

Name:
....

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I was known as "Aunt" so and so to the kids I use to watch... It was the parents idea and was used to be respectful.. Most of my close friends are Aunt and Uncle to my son... He also have an "Abuela", My cousins MIL... We refer to my cousin as his Aunt (she is 49) and he has a "Nonni" in NJ. My BF's sister... To me it doesn't really matter... We don't have a lot of family here so I like the idea.... But I wouldn't like people that I barely know or rarely see refer to themselves that way.. Nip it in the butt now... When they refer to themselves as Aunt or Uncle, correct them and say Mr and Mrs... Chat Icon

I know when I grew up, I called most adults Mr or Mrs so and so... Unless we were told by that person to use their first name.. It comes down to what everyone is comfortable with..

Message edited 1/15/2012 7:48:10 PM.

Posted 1/15/12 6:57 PM
 

BigB
C & J are 10!

Member since 6/05

5914 total posts

Name:
Stacey

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I wanted my close friends to be Aunties.....but when my first friend had her child, she made it clear that we would just be called by name....so I followed suit....eventhough I didnt want to.....I only have 1 sister so they only have 1 aunt...that's it! I wish they had a bigger extended family!

Posted 1/15/12 7:19 PM
 

saraH
happy birthday sweet kate!

Member since 5/05

16555 total posts

Name:
I know that God exsists, I held her in my arms...

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I don't know how I feel about this.

It depends on the person. Like I don't like my mil referring to her good friends as aunt and uncle to my kids. But to me, it's not worth the argument.

But I call some of my cousins aunt to my kids.

I see all arguments on this though.

That was the worlds most vaguest answer.

Thank you.

Chat Icon

Posted 1/15/12 8:12 PM
 

Momma2Be
Mommy of an angel

Member since 10/09

5911 total posts

Name:
Dina

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

I refer to DS's actual aunts/uncles as "aunt" and "uncle". Some of my friends whom are closer to DS than his actual aunts and uncles are get the special title "auntie" and "uncle". I agree with what other posters have said that people don't have to be blood related to be family.

Posted 1/15/12 8:15 PM
 

allIwant
Love my crazy life!

Member since 1/10

9170 total posts

Name:

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

My kids are still young but I think it depends on how close you are.

My moms best friend from high school is still my Aunt _____.

All of my close friends sign cards "Aunt" and "uncle"

We are not at the point where my kids would call them anything but as long as they were close to us and "like" family it wouldn't bother me at all.

Posted 1/15/12 8:33 PM
 

JRD2008
CT. here we come!!

Member since 5/08

2944 total posts

Name:
Kathleen

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Not all of my friends are "auntie" but my 3 closest girlfriends are. One of them is single, the other 2 are engaged and call their fiances "uncle". These 3 girls are not like family, to me they ARE family. I love them just as much as I love my biological sister. And my sis is not insulted at all- she is "auntie" to her BFF's DD as well! I can't wait for them to start having kids so I can be Auntie Kat. But if you don't like it, I see nothing wrong with that- tell them now before your kids get used to calling them that.

Posted 1/15/12 8:40 PM
 

KwaaksNest
Love my boys!

Member since 6/10

2825 total posts

Name:
Samantha

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Posted by MrsW2010

sometimes friends are closer than family...and its a respect thing for me... to each their own, if you dont like it then put a stop to it




This exactly...my best friend sees my son more then my husbands brother she definately deserves to be his "aunt" but some people who assume i just correct

Posted 1/15/12 8:49 PM
 

Finally1108
My two boys

Member since 12/08

3541 total posts

Name:
Angela

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

We have a close group of friends and we say aunt and uncle, but I will not force it on my child to say it.

It's more a sign of respect

Posted 1/15/12 8:50 PM
 

BeachMom
Love my 4 kiddos!

Member since 11/08

8346 total posts

Name:
Kristie

Re: "Fake" aunts and uncles

Sometimes friends are closer than some family. I have a few close friends that my children call aunt and uncle. honestly, they see them more than they see thier actualy aunts and uncles.

For us its a title we gave them, not them calling themselves aunt and uncle. I woiuldn't like someone else just saying come over here to Aunt A or Uncle B. For me it would have to be my decision to have them call them aunt and uncle.

Posted 1/16/12 7:37 AM
 
Pages: 1 [2] 3
 

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