How do you feel about children addressing adults by their first name?

In My Humble Opinion
62

Well, in a way, it is an achievement.
::adjusts her spectacles::

That said, I agree that respect is more about attitude than words.

I am of two minds about this thing…for me, a lot of it is about how intimate you want to be, how well you know somebody.
I appreciate neither total strangers on the phone, nor salesclerks at the mall addressing me by my first name. At the same time, I do not feel that the little kids on the block must call me Mrs. So-and-So.

If I need to catch the attention of somebody I don’t know, no matter what their age, I sometimes say ‘sir’ or ‘miss’ or ‘ma’am’; to me it sounds polite without being unctuous. That might sound like a bit much to some, but it just feels nicer than always braying out “Excuse me!”

63

I’m 26, and still refer to people in the same way that I did when I was a kid. For example:

My old Scoutmaster is, and always will be, Rank. Not Mr. Carstens.

My neighbors will always be Mrs. Starkey, not Lucille, and Mr. Leseberg, not Jim.

My 3rd Grade teacher will always be Mrs. Wood, not Norma.

It will always be Mom and Dad, never Dan and Carolyn.

When referring to my Dad’s sister and her husband, it’s Alan and Suzi. When referring to his sister alone, it’s Aunt Suzi, unless we’re trying to cheese her off, in which case it’s Aunt Winnie (her first name is Winnifred, not Susan). When referring to her husband, it’s Alan, not Uncle Alan. He came along too late in the game for the term (though accurate) Uncle to stick. I think he prefers it that way, however.

When referring to my Dad’s brother and his wife, it’s Tom and Carol. Individually, it’s Uncle Tom and Aunt Carol, unless I’m actually speaking to them, in which case the Uncle and Aunt are dropped.

My advisor in college will always be Doc Thomas. Never Dr. Thomas. It’s not something he decided, it’s something that my roommate and I decided. He never seemed to mind.

Apart from that, if the person I’m addressing is older than me, it’s Mr. or Ms. If they’re a contemporary or younger, it’s first name.