Comments on: The worst Czech habit of all?? / Nejhorsi cesky zlozvyk??

By: Tanja

Tanja — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:27:07 +0000

That’s pretty gross but on the other hand, she is a quite the devoted wife
I just think it takes away from any romance between a husband and a wife!!

By: Veronika

Veronika — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:22:17 +0000

I totally hated it when my dad called MY mom “mamko”. Maybe coz he treated her like his mother…she was always cooking and cleaning up after him as if he were a little boy…she even cuts his fingernails to this day and he almost 60!!! yuch

By: Jana B

Jana B — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:57:09 +0000

The Philippine way sounds very similar to Czech. I did not even know what my uncle’s name was until I was 10 or so.

By: Tanja

Tanja — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:09:57 +0000

To Raffy: I think you misunderstood, Raffy; it is not the kids who call their parents by their first names, it’s the parents who call each other first names and do not go by “mom” and “dad”.

I also think that calling your mom and/or dad by their first name is just crazy and disrespectful. But one of our friends grew up in that environment and he turned out normal

By: Tanja

Tanja — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:06:10 +0000

Thanks Sona! I completely agree with you..it just sounds weird. But then again, my parents never did that either so maybe if I/we grew up in that environment we would have a different opinion.

By: Sona

Sona — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:35:42 +0000

To Raffy
I don’t have anything against my kids calling me mom and my husband dad …. but why should my husband call me “mom” if I am not his mom? It almost feels like I am loosing my own identity by becoming a mom. He can call me mom in front of the kids but not when actually talking to me. I also don’t think I will call my parents “grandma” even if my kids will….they will still be my parents and not grandparents so I will call them mom and dad. That is what the article was about. I do agree with you that calling your parents by their name doesn’t show respect and I won’t ever allow my kids to do that.

By: Raffy

Raffy — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:29:24 +0000

There’s nothing wrong with calling your husband “dad” or whatever variant name you’re calling a father.

That is supposed to show the kids how to call their parents.

In the Philippines, where I live, it’s almost unthinkable for their child to call their parents by their first name; it is one of the ultimate ways of disrespecting them.
In here, never ever call your parents and grandparents by their first name.

You may never address your uncles, aunts, anyone older than you whom you’re familiar, your (former) teacher/professor or (former) boss by their first name only (unless there is a title). Most teachers, professors and bosses are better addressed using their surnames.

Maybe both Philippine and Czech society are not egalitarian, though Czechland is individualistic and the Philippines may be strongly collectivist. Harmony in the group is important.

By: Sona

Sona — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:33:53 +0000

I don’t think it’s the worst habit ever but I definitely don’t like it at all. I was fortunate that my parents did and still do call each other by their names and if my husband just started to call me “maminko” instead of my name just because we are going to have our first baby I would go nuts.
Thanks for the post. I sometimes feel like by living here I forget all this general stuff about home.
Love your blog!

By: Vlastimil

Vlastimil — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:28:33 +0000

I would call it a “cultural deviation”….
It is OK, to be different !