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Whether or not a step-parent is addressed by their first name or as 'mom' or 'dad' is a decision that should be left entirely up to the child in question.

One good thing I can remember about my step-father was that when we met, he told me to call him 'Dave' (his first name). That name stuck. I was 5 years old, and my younger sister who was 4 years old. She took to calling him 'Daddy' right away.

There were times in my young life when I wanted to call him 'Dad', 'Daddy', 'Papa', 'Pops', or something other than 'Dave' but it just was not comfortable to me. Although, I could see my little sister having no problem with it, I just couldn't.

I knew my father, and my little sister had very vague memories of him. I didn't feel like I was betraying anyone if I called 'Dave' anything with a paternal ring to it.

As a step-father, I didn't pressure or suggest that my step-daughters address me by anything but my name. They didn't seem to have a problem with that, yet they still called me 'Daddy'. IT made me very proud that a child that wasn't 'mine' wanted to call me 'Daddy'.

I have just kept in mind that when you are a step-parent, and you divorce, you may lose that title. If you are a biological parent, you never lose the title.

Food for thought.

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