What kind of creeps me out is when married couples call each other Mom or Dad even in front of company. I always picture them in their intimate moment “Oh MOM!” “Oh DAD!” Shivers
I didn’t find it creepy until another Filipino girl told me it was, that a girl I knew (who didn’t have any siblings) called all her boyfriends “kuya” (older brother). Also (at least in the movies and TV) some Korean women call their boyfriends “oppa” (older brother). Makes my attraction to my older cousin kind of pale in comparison!
Mum and Dad. Sometimes I call my mother Ma. My brother started doing this as a teenager to annoy her, but she has gotten so used to it she doesn’t even remember that she didn’t like it.
ETA: our kids called us Mummy and Daddy to start with. Some time in primary school, they switched to Mum and Dad. The younger one still called me Mummy when she was 9-10 and I remember correcting her, that she should call me Mum now.
Mom and Daddy. I typically think of my father as Dad, and will refer to him as my father when talking to other people, but when I’m with him I automatically call him Daddy, even when I don’t mean to. It’s a little embarrassing when we’re in a group of adults, but he’s 86 now, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to break the habit.
I once asked my Dad if he would refer to me as “My boy” for the rest of my life. He said “Of course, what else would I call you?” Sadly he passed away when I was in my 30’s, so I never had to chance to be a senior citizen being referred to as “My boy”. SIGH
Grandparents are a more interesting discussion, imo. Growing up, I directly addressed my grandparents all as “grandma” and “grandpa,” but referenced them as “Grandma [lastname]” and “Grandpa [lastname].” But now my kids refer to my dad as “Grandpa [firstname],” my mom as “buscia” (their Polish grandma), my mother-in-law just as “Grandma,” and my father-in-law as “Pa.” My step parents both get “Grandpa/grandma [firstname].” I feel like kids use the first name as reference to their grandparents more now than when I was a kid. For me, it would’ve been weird to refer to any of my grandparents by their first name.
I knew someone who, along with his younger brother, referred to his parents by their first names while the remaining, much younger, brothers called the parents Mom and Dad.
Sometimes we’ll use exaggerated, overwrought versions, generally when it’s going to be followed by something small and negative or by a request. Oh madre amantísima, ¿crees que podrías recoger tus propias basuritas? Oh most loving mother, do you think you could pick up your own debris? (she’s been leaving candy wrappers around. Again.) This works in all directions, if one of my brothers adresses me as ¡oh la mejor de las hermanas, protectora de los débiles, fuente de sabiduría! (oh best of sisters, protector of the weak, source of all wisdom) they either want another serving of food or some favor which is small enough they’re pretty much sure of the answer, but it’s still polite to ask.
Interestingly, when my mom died (my dad died long before her) I realized that since they were both only children, and I am their eldest, I became the oldest of my family. I pointed this out to my siblings and their and my children and demanded to be referred to as “Pappy” from that day forward.
Yes, alcohol was involved; yes, they took me seriously. It has gotten old.
ETA: my son sometimes calls me “Pops”. I don’t let on, but I love it.
