What do you call your in-laws? (Stolen from July '11)

magnoliablossom00 · July 2012

Just for fun. What do you call your in-laws?

I call them by their first names, but sometimes call them grandma and grandpa now that LO is here. I have a friend who still calls her in-laws "Mr and Mrs (last name)" which totally freaks me out.

chuicafina · July 2012

I call them by their first names. Actually, MIL goes by a nickname, which everyone uses, so that's what I call her. It would weird me out to call them Mr and Mrs also...I've never called them that, though. It's totally not their style.

justme04 · July 2012

I call my MIL "mom" which may seem odd to some but since my mom called her inlaws (and the only grandparents I knew) "mom and dad" it just seems normal to me.

DH calls my mom "mom" as well.

Now the boys will call my MIL grandma and my mom memaw (which was their choice).

LollyBug18 · July 2012

Now I will sometimes call them grandma and grandpa. Before that though I never called them anything to their face after the wedding. Before the wedding they gave the impression that they were "Mr. and Mrs." so that's what I called them, though it was odd to me because I'd never been around adults who weren't okay just being called by their first name, just the area and people I was raised around I guess. After the wedding, I wasn't going to call MIL "Mrs. LastName" when that also became my name and I don't know that I could ever call them mom and dad just because of issues with my own parents. I wish they'd just not be sticks in the mud and go by their first name...it'd make things a lot easier and less awkward!

Jaytee501 · July 2012

You mean the polite version or the one not really "suitable" for print?

I DID call them "Mr. & Mrs. S" (just the initial, as if that made it a bit less formal) until we were engaged...despite MIL asking me to call her MOM from the first time I met her, long before we were engaged :-/

I moved on to "Mr. S" (he's a very cold man; I don't feel close to him) and "Jane" (MIL's name).

Once my son was born, I began, with much relief, calling them "Nana and Pop Pop" as their other grandchildren do.

"Pop Pop" sounds so affectionate that it's still difficult but I use it in lieu of "JERK."

Oops, did I say that?

Andie_83 · July 2012

I call them by their first names, unless Z (or nieces and nephews) is around, then I call them Nana and Papa.

Sunidaze · July 2012

Mom or by her first name.

vigurl · July 2012

Mr & Mrs. (insert dh last name here)

MommaA117 · July 2012

First names. I think calling them mom and dad is kind of weird.

MommaA117 · July 2012

Oh I do call them grandma and grandpa if we are referring to something about the baby.

ajc0121 · July 2012

I call his parents by their first names. He calls mine by Mr & Mrs. (Last name). They always tell him to call them either by their first names but he chooses not too.

kas80 · July 2012

I call them Grandma and Grandpa now. I used to avoid using any name before because my MIL especially wanted me to call her mom and that was just weird. When I would introduce her I'd say this is husband's mom *her first name* but I am ridiculously good at avoiding using people's names when speaking to them directly. If my mom wasn't ill she would completely expect my husband to still call her Mrs.Lastname. That's just how she was.

smurf605 · July 2012

Their first names; grandma and grandpa around DS.

Magenta728 · July 2012

Their first names

tulipblossom · July 2012

I call DHs mom by her first name sometimes. If O is around I call her grandma. Most of the time I just don't use her name For DHs dad seeing as I go very very far out of my way to not have to talk to him to begin with I only refer to him as "your dad" or "DHs dad" I most of the time in conversation don't even refer to them as my "in laws" I just say "DHs parents" because IMO they don't treat me like I am part of the family or use my name so why should I use there's. True story when we went to visit DHs parents for Thanksgiving after we got married his dad honestly called me "daughter in law" while we were there. Sometimes I wonder if her even knows my name

Jills83 · July 2012

Now, mostly grandma and grandpa. I use mom and dad sometimes too. Considering they have been like parents to me for 13 years, I don't find it that weird to call them mom and dad. I still throw in their first names every once in a while - especially if my mom and dad are around at the same time.

jellybeanjean · July 2012

I'll write "mom" and "dad", as per their request, but I won't call them that. I don't call them anything to their faces, but call them "Mr. and Mrs." when I refer to them. DH does the same with my parents (though he'll call them that to their face because they're fine with whatever he's comfortable with). In our defense -- all four were teachers at the small private school we went to, we each had each other's father for a teacher, and that's how we knew them first.

I'll refer to them as Grammy & Grampy if the kids are around.

amypogg6 · July 2012

I call them their first names if I call them anything. I am still not completely comfortable, so I usually try not to call them anything. It's easier when Em is there and I can refer to them as grandma and grandpa.

jc&cat · July 2012

Interesting post. I call my MIL by her first name which was a request from the start. I called FIL by first name as well (he passed in 2005).

My parents are deceased and DH never knew my Mom but he called my dad Pop b/c that is pretty much what everyone called him (even my sibs) since he had 6 grandkids before our kids came along.

We never thought of calling each other parents Mom and Dad b/c i had one Mom and I can't imagine referring to anyone else by that title. Same for his Dad. I think it's out of respect as well.

Oddly enough, all 3 of my brothers call their ILs Mom and Dad. I think it's a generational thing (they are 10+ years older than I). Our generation from this little survey clearly is not doing that.

amberpro · July 2012

DH and I both call each others' parents by their first names.

I'll call both sets of grandparents "grandma", "granny", "papa" when I am talking TO LO, but not just because he's there.

mrsmullins0500 · July 2012

By their first names. Sometimes Nanna and poppy now. I do call DHs grandparents granny and paw and always have.

Andrea52408 · July 2012

I have to say that this post kind of makes me sad. I am sorry that so many of you do not have a good relationship with your ILs or parents. I guess I should consider myself lucky.

I mostly call my ILs by their first names, but have called them mom and dad from time to time. And of course I call them Grammie and Grampie when DS is around! DH calls my parents by their first names and MeMere and PePere when DS is there. (I am obviously very French)

march2008 · July 2012

I call them by their first names when speaking to them. When writing out a card, I call them Mom & Dad Lastname.

sunshine336 · July 2012

By their first names, or occasionally grandma, grandpa, or GG (what MIL decided she would be called instead of grandma). For the longest time when DH and I were dating I didn't know what to call them, and was shy, so I wouldn't address them as anything- just start talking.

DreamChaser246 · July 2012

My FIL, "Tato" (Dad in Ukrainian). My MIL wants me to call her "Mama" but after what that piece of work has done to me, the nicest thing that I can call her is her first name. I know that it insults her (because people of "my age" shouldn't be calling people of "her age" by their first name, but I'm over it. Mrs is too formal, and the only appropriate thing is her first name. Only person I call "Mom" is my mom.

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