When you were a child, how did you address your friends' parents?

I really hated doing this. They were usually reduced to 'um'.

I didn't. I just talked to people without using their names. I still do.

I never had any need to use a form of address with my friend's parents - I certainly would never have given them an honorific title. The only people I've ever addressed as sir or miss (never ma'am, which around here sounds like you're talking about your Mam/mother) have been teachers. I rarely call anyone Mr/Mrs either - I often proffer it when asking patients what they prefer to be called, but have always been told to call them by their first name. I do use title and surname for senior doctors/surgeons that I encounter, unless they introduce themselves using their first name - but I'd feel odd calling anyone below a consultant (like an attending) anything but their first name, especially as I'm older than a lot of the junior doctors!

As a side-note, and not quite the same thing, my friends' children call me by my first name and anything more formal than that would seem really weird.

Mrs. Goldstein, Mr. Chasan, Mrs. Siegel, Mrs. Schirmer, etc.

I never address people by name even today unless absolutely necessary. Psychological quirk of mine. If my wife is upstairs I won't use her name to call to her. I usually say "are you there"?

> Mrs. Goldstein, Mr. Chasan, Mrs. Siegel, Mrs.
> Schirmer, etc.

You grew up in a Jewish neighborhood?

Mostly I addressed them by their first name unless the ask me to address them by their last name.

Not especially, but most of my friends were Jewish. Jews are cool.

Some of them I called by their first names (especially parents who were friends with my parents, since that's how my parents addressed them, too). Others I called Mr or Mrs plus surname.

I used title plus surname (i.e. "Mr Smith")

Mr or Mrs. I tended to avoid parents at all costs.

Mr. and Mrs.

Auntie or Uncle

or Mom and Dad...I was very close with my friends and they would call my parents Mom and Dad too...My daughter's friends did(do) this to me as well

My friends called my mom "Mom". She liked it, but it freaked me out.

I don't typically address them. If we talk about them at home, I use the name my parents use.
Other adults..whatever they tell me to call them..I call this one lady Miss Mary even now because I've always called her that. If they tell me to call them by their first name, I do. Although my old English teacher, my friend and I asked what we should call him if we see him around town ten years from now. To which he responded that we could call him John. We both found that disgusting..we'll probably call him Mr...... forever.

I'm sure people think I have 20 daughters!

I'm sure people think I have 20 daughters!

Sometimes I used "sir" or "ma'am" when addressing grandparents/elder. I don't like the word ma'am. It makes women feel old.

My mom hates being called ma'am!

To me, it sounds like "old woman who's had kids". I might hate it a little more than most women. I don't want children. (They're okay, as long as they're not my own.)

It just sounds really old and gross to me.

Where I'm from, they were referred as Auntie or Uncle.
Hello Auntie Cath.
Hello Uncle Bernard.

I think its a Northern thing.

I was raised that children were to be seen and not heard so therefore I stayed in the back ground and did not use their names. I said "Yes, Ma'am", and "Yes Sir" otherwise kept my mouth shut and sat quietly until the grown ups were done conversing.

Directly: avoided using an address.
Indirectly: So and so's mom/dad.

I used title plus surname. If I didn't know the names I used "Sir" or "Ma'am." If they ever they told me to use something else then I did what they said

I don't know when this all changed but I think using Mr... is a show of respect.

Title plus surname. Still do, for some of them.

Some of them, their first names. Other friends' parents, I called simply "Mom and Dad". I still do, the ones that are living.

I always got along better with adults and called them by thier first names.