: Children and their parents For those from the USA, any idea at which age children switch from calling their parents, mommy, and daddy to mom and dad. I know there is no specific year-age,

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TLDR: There is no universal rule

I do not think there is a universal rule as to when children change from mommy/daddy to mom/dad.

From my experience (I have 3 children) this shift often begins around the time they start school and is often a progressive thing. Younger siblings tend to do this earlier.

However, some children are "shmoozier" than others and will keep the "mommy/daddy" longer when they want something. Girl tend to keep "Daddy" longer and move to "mom" earlier. And the reverse for boys.

So, this shift will tell the reader more about the character than about society.

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I'll weigh in here because "storbror" is totally wrong. There is no global or cultural rule as to how children address their parents.

Parental and peer address implies characterisation and back story.

1) A female teen refers to her mother as "Mommie Dearest" . . . What does the address tell you about the relationship?

2) A male teen addresses his father as "sir" - What can you glean from this?

3) Suzanne gave birth to Katrina at age 14. The characters refer to each other as "Sue" and "Kat". What is the practical nature of their relationship?

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