I’d never considered the familiarity aspect. But you’re right, being that “friendly” does give people a certain comfort level and doesn’t promote respect. I remember when we were kids and we would say things like “C’mon man!?!” to my dad. He would get livid and remind us that he was our father and should be addressed accordingly. At that time, I just thought dad was being a stuffed shirt. But upon retrospect, what he was demanding was respect.

Anacris…your observations are right on target. Kids these days have no respect for anyone..man, woman, or child. I think its because of the “familiarity” and “friendship” thing that is being seen between the parents and their own children. Many parents would rather be their kids’ friends rather than act like a parent. You would not believe how many of our older kids’ friends call my wife and I by our first names. We have to remind them they need to call us by Mr. and Mrs. (insert last name here). Our own kids ask us why we embarass them that way by making their friends call us by our last names. We have to remind them that it is a sign of respect. They call their friends’ parents by their first names. Even when we tell them they should not do that, we are told by our kids that when they have called their friends’ parents Mr. or Mrs. so and so..those parents told them to call them by their first names because they felt “old” when they were addressed otherwise.