When did your kids learn your names?

[justhat]

Well, I mean, when did they say mama and dada and actually mean to call you? And how did you know?

My daughter is now 10.5 months old and has been saying mama and dada in her babbling since she was 5 months. At that time she had no association with either word, she just said them.

Around 8 months old she'd crawl around yelling 'mama' when she was in distress. My husband claimed she was calling me, but I thought it might just be her upset babble.

Then about a month ago she watched my husband leave the room and said 'dada' so I thought "wow, she actually knows it's him!" But then 2 weeks later she called our housekeeper on a cruise 'dada' when he was telling us about his 13 month old daughter and that she calls him that now. So then I thought, maybe she's just repeating him, or maybe she thinks it is any man.

Anyway, recently she has started saying 'mama' a lot, but only when she's tired, hungry, wants to be picked up, etc., so I'm not sure if it means me, or if that's just her way of complaining. It's not just mama, it's like a string of them together which is why I'm not sure. But then about an hour ago she woke up and cried and then yelled "mama", and only once and when I got to her she stopped and went back to sleep. So I got excited and thought "Hey, she actually called for me! She really does know my name!" (I spend all day repeating 'mama' over and over to her in hopes she'll finally repeat it.)

So what do you think, does she really know my name now or am I just being hopeful? I'm too biased to really think about it, so let me know what you think.

 

[Keli]

I believe that 10.5 mo is old enough to put meaning behind spoken words and it's likely that she associates the word "Mama" with you. And if she didn't before today probably understands that now since she yelled "Mama" and you appeared, lol.

 

[briannesmom]

I think my DD understood who mama and dada were around 12 months. She is now 18 months and says it all the time. She will point at us and say mama and daddy then point at herself and say baby. It is just too cute. If I am not paying enough attention to her she calls me Amy but in times of distress i'm mama.


Amy

 

[Nutsy]

I can remember my eldest at about 15 months. We had left both children with my Mum while we went out, upon our return our eldest called us both Daddy lol

 

[minkydog]

I think my big kids said mama and dada about that time,too.My oldest boy called all men "dada", except for his own--he was "My-dy" (My Daddy)

 

[becka]

It would be pretty hard to tell for sure when they make that final connection that you are her Mom and no one else. I really don't remember when (or really if) I knew when he made that connection but all kids do fairly early. I wouldn't worry about how much of a connection she is making yet....just enjoy her saying "mama"...it is one of the nicest sounds in the world.

When I first opened this thread I thought you meant when kids knew your "real" names. We were shocked (although I dont' know why) when DS about a month or so ago told me that Daddy's name was Aaron and my name was Becky. LOL! He is just a little over 2 1/2 so I explained to him that yes that was our names but that he needed to keep calling us Mommy and Daddy. He is good about sticking with that most of the time but a few times when he gets frustrated or doesn't feel like he is getting an answer fast enough he will call us by our "real" names. LOL!

 

[swilphil]

It sounds like your daughter definitely knows you are her mama. It is very common for babies to call other adults, and sometime animals, mama and dada too. We taught our oldest son our first and last names at about age 2 1/2 for safety reasons. He went through a period where he called us our first names occassionally, but it wasn't a big deal.

 

[delilah]

My son used to crack everybody up at daycare. He totally had mama and dada mixed up until he was about 18mo or so. He would say "dada", but he most emphatically meant me, his mother. He started using both words nonspecifically about 12mos or so. When we realized what was going on, we tried to correct him. It is so hard to do when you are mom, your child wants something, and you are trying to teach him to say "Mommy" insteady of "Daddy".

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

Holly is 13mos and says mama and da very clearly and she knows who she is talking to. She's done this since at least 11mos (probably earlier, but I can't remember). When she hears the garage open downstairs she runs to the gate and starts calling for da. If its me she switches to mama, will say da and point behind me. Definately a daddy's girl *sigh*. Now, she did say {beaming proudly} mama, her first word, at 10mos and she clearly meant me. Of course DH was in Iraq so she didn't have anyone to mix me up with LOL. She also said 'Bay' before da (refering to Bear in the Big Blue House) and she never mixed me and Bay up. I think she 'knew' who I was.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I thought you meant when did she learn our first names, because she's known that for quite awhile and calls me by my first name sometimes.

As for what you're actually talking about, I don't remember!

 

[coliebird]

When I first opened this thread I thought you meant when kids knew your "real" names. We were shocked (although I dont' know why) when DS about a month or so ago told me that Daddy's name was Aaron and my name was Becky. LOL! He is just a little over 2 1/2 so I explained to him that yes that was our names but that he needed to keep calling us Mommy and Daddy. He is good about sticking with that most of the time but a few times when he gets frustrated or doesn't feel like he is getting an answer fast enough he will call us by our "real" names. LOL!

This is what I thought too when I saw the title. My daughter (2 1/2) is also learning our real names.

Justine, I think Madison is about the right age to know that you are her mama. Nicole knew at that age, but would still confuse it sometimes and call my husband mama or me dada.

 

[ncgolfer]

My 18 month old started with dada & mama at about 10 months. She now knows our proper names and if she is upset with one of us will call us by our proper names. I have to turn my back not to laugh its so funny to see a 18 month old little kid with her hands on her waist calling me Chardey (Charlie).

 

[justhat]

THanks for the replies! You know how you've been waiting so long to hear that little voice call you that you're not sure if you're just wishing it or if it's really true.

Actually, about learning our real names, I really think it's a good thing to teach kids. When I worked at a daycare pre-baby, we taught our toddlers what their parents names were, as a safety thing. Most parents totally agreed with it, but we had one who lectured us about how she didn't want her kids to call her 'Rachel', that she's mommy, not Rachel. Of course, if she didn't make such a big deal out of it, her kids wouldn't have called her that so much.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Actually, about learning our real names, I really think it's a good thing to teach kids. When I worked at a daycare pre-baby, we taught our toddlers what their parents names were, as a safety thing. Most parents totally agreed with it, but we had one who lectured us about how she didn't want her kids to call her 'Rachel', that she's mommy, not Rachel. Of course, if she didn't make such a big deal out of it, her kids wouldn't have called her that so much.

That's why I taught dd our real names...I figured it's a good safety practice. For the longest time, she thought my name was Auntie Melinda, since that's what my niece calls me.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

I agree it's good safety practice. When Remy was little we taught her her daddy's real name (entire name including that he was the 'third') and where he worked we taught her my name too, but felt that his was more important for her to learn). With him being in the USAF and her knowing his full name if she was lost at least with that info they can find her dad through the DOD and could even bring up any medical records, etc.