You know...  I just hate it when my daughter's friends call me by my first name.

There, I said it.

My seven-year-old Ashley has lots of little buddies, and most of them are just the sweetest and most polite kids you could ever hope for. 

They'll say "please" or "thank you", and ask me how my day was.

But it irritates me to know end when they call me and my husband by our first names.

When I was a little kid growing up in Montreal, calling adults by their first name was unheard of.  All of my friends parents were "Mr". or "Mrs."    We even knew how to use the term "Ms." if Jenny-by-the-block's momma was divorced. 

I remember when one of my friends tried to call my mother by her first name.  My mother was mortified, and quickly corrected her.  Trust me, that friend of mine never made that mistake again.  And as I recall, it took a long time for my mother to warm up to her, after a first impression that was nearly shot.

I've noticed that Ashley's teachers are very good about teaching the kids to address other parents as "Mr." or "Mrs."  But outside of the school setting, I cringe when kids come storming up to me and say, "Hi Shelley."  

I mean it, I really cringe.

Maybe it's the whole t.v. thing.   The kids hear me say Shelley Walcott.  Walcott is my maiden name, and is not my daughter's last name.  So maybe some of the kids are confused.

But Ashley doesn't know most of her friends parent's first names and has a hard time remembering their last names.  I've been the one telling her what to call people.   

I'll admit, I've been lax about allowing Ashley to call certain adults by their first names... neighbors of ours, etc.

But that's about to change.  My seven year old is about to enter a new reality.   Because... really... it's never too late to do things the right way.

And there is a right and a wrong way to train your children.

It's "Mr." and "Mrs." please.  A little thing... but I believe it's a standard that we will all be a little better for.