Parental Guidance

Lincolnshirelass · Post by **Lincolnshirelass** » 09 Nov 2017, 04:50

This isn't about what you might think, but didn't know how else to title it. For the first time I'm doing a third person children's story - aimed at older children but not really young adults (I know these things are arbitary - let's say VERY roughly 10-13 year olds) and am having trouble with how to refer to my young protagonists' parents. To say 'Mummy' and 'Daddy' or even 'Mum' and 'Dad' comes over as a bit childish for this age group, but using first names doesn't quite work either (and is potentially confusing) and saying Mr or Mrs whatever seems stilted. Is this why so many children's books are about orphans

Any advice or opinions much appreciated.

KS Crooks · Post by **KS Crooks** » 11 Nov 2017, 19:49

What I find happens to kids when they reach that age, including myself once upon a time, is to use different words. When addressing parents in public or around friends, I would say "Mom", but when alone or around family I said "Mummy". Try giving your character a similar way of dealing with their mixed mindset.

Lincolnshirelass · Post by **Lincolnshirelass** » 13 Nov 2017, 04:24

Thanks a lot for the advice, but I was thinking more of the third person, as in 'When Jane told her story she realised that Mum/Mrs Jones/Anne was finding it hard to believe.

johappy · Post by **johappy** » 14 Nov 2017, 22:06

It would seem most natural to say "her mum." I find that when I'm reading and the author has used another title, I forget that it's the parent. Make sense?

CommMayo · Post by **CommMayo** » 14 Nov 2017, 23:07

Are your audience and your characters British?

-- 14 Nov 2017, 23:07 --

Are your audience and your characters British?

Lincolnshirelass · Post by **Lincolnshirelass** » 15 Nov 2017, 05:39

Mainly but not exclusively.

vaz222 · Post by **vaz222** » 20 Nov 2017, 23:18

Could you say "her mother/her father" instead?

Whippet · Post by **Whippet** » 16 Jan 2018, 13:15

Well, it seems childish, but that's because kids that age are just that - kids. Some people call their parents mummy and daddy forever, right? It just depends what you think the kids you're writing about feel. If you think they'd feel too old to call their parents a certain way, maybe you could work that into their character - a want to call their parents by first names and therein feel more mature

Lincolnshirelass · Post by **Lincolnshirelass** » 17 Jan 2018, 03:52

@Whippet - why, thank you, perhaps I can feel a story coming on there! Actually, when I was around 8 or 9 I decided just to be 'rebellious' I would address my parents by their given names, and when they were perfectly okay about it and said, 'that's fine, if you want to,' it suddenly lost its appeal!