Don't Call Me Mommy

A new issue has surfaced with the kid’s mother. She called me Sunday afternoon to inform me that it has come to her attention that the older child has been calling me “Mommy” and this needs to stop. Excuse me? First of all, I never asked or suggested that the child call me anything but my name. I don’t even require the kids call me Miss So-and-so, just my first name. The child chose to start calling me “Mommy” and at first I didn’t even respond to it because I assumed she was talking about her mother. Lately, she calls me “Mommy” as much if not more than she calls me by my name. Apparently, the other relative (who is not related to the mom) commented on the child calling me “Mommy” when she is dropped off at my house. The mother asked for this to stop but I refuse to tell a little child they cannot call me “Mommy.” And, the conversation was totally focused on the older child but hey, guess what? The little guy calls me “Mommy” too! In fact, I think that he thinks I am his mommy. Due to his age, he is at the stage where he is super-clingy and even with people he knows and likes, like the baby-sitter and my parents, he wants me to hold him and gets upset when I leave the room. But, I did not relate that to the mother. I simply told her that she needs to address her concerns to the county case worker and that it is her issue. The mother made sure to get her little digs in, telling me it should not be a problem because I have no children and there are no other children in my home calling me “Mommy” for the child to emulate. She also pointed out that “this” was not a problem before, only in my house. I’m sorry that she feels threatened by her child calling another woman “Mommy” but it is not the huge issue she would like to make it out to be. In my opinion, she needs to put on her big girl panties, get her act together to get her kids back and this will all be over with - then none of her children will call anyone but her “Mommy.” But, until then she will need to contend with “Mommy Foster Mom” and “Mommy Bio-mom” because that is how the child sees it.