Aunties and Uncles?

glitter

Here in north England it's very common for children to call close friends of their parents Aunty or Uncle even if they're not really related.

This also happened at the KH with all the kids calling adults Aunty or Uncle.

Is this standard JW practice or is it just a northern thing?

rebel8

I've never heard of JWs doing that.

Around here it is done, but is uncommon.

Jordan

When I was younger I was taught to do this, but since an influx of people moved into our congo, or came into the bOrg, I noticed it happened less and less, and shortly before I left I remember one kid being ridiculed by other children for referring to an adult as such... I still think it's good manners. I mean my mum's close to 50 and she still calls an old family friend "auntie"...

vitty

I visited Wales and lived in England, all the children called the adults aunty and uncle.

I still find it strange and a little cheeky for a child , to call me by my first name. But I also remember all the children in the neighbourhood calling friends parents aunty and uncle.

Maybe its a British thing.

Also Peter Kay has a sketch about calling him mums friend and the school dinner ladies aunty, very funny !!!!!!!!!

Billygoat

Part of my childhood, I grew up in Missouri where that just wasn't heard of. You called a non-related adult Mr. or Mrs (Whatever.) Or Brother or Sister (Whatever). But the other part of my childhood was spent in Hawaii, where you did say Aunty or Uncle out of respect. It was more personal in a VERY casual and laid back beach culture, but still respectful enough to not call them by their given name.

Gretchen956

The only time I've ever encountered this it was a pseudonym for a boyfriend or girlfriend of a parent. Even then it was/is very rare in my part of the world.

Sherry

carla

I live in the midwest, we had some Auntie's & Uncles, they were too close to be Mr. & Mrs. but we were too young to call them by their first names. However my mother was influenced by a close friend who was English. Don't know where this came from. I did have friends that also had 'Aunts & Uncles & cousins that were not any of those by blood.

glitter

Also Peter Kay has a sketch about calling him mums friend and the school dinner ladies aunty, very funny !!!!!!!!!

I think it's more polite too - I still call all of my "Aunties" and "Uncles" that. Feels completely bizarre that the *real* neice of my favourite "Aunty" just calls her by her first name!

MerryMagdalene

Growing up JW in a small north Idaho town, I was taught to call adult JWs Brother or Sister [last name] unless they actually were related, and then it was Aunt or Uncle [first name].

But my best friend (non-JW) and I (x-JW) have encouraged our children to call each other Aunt [first name] because we are as close as sisters.

~Merry

Aunties and Uncles?

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