DEAR ABBY: My husband and I disagee on how our children should address their elders. My husband and his family feel that children should always address adults as "Mr. or Mrs. So and So," regardless of the adult's preference -- otherwise the child will not learn to respect adults.
What is your opinion? Should my children address you as "Miss Van Buren" even though you ask them to call you "Dear Abby"? -- PREFERS FIRST NAME
DEAR PREFERS: To show respect to an adult, one addresses that person as he/she asks to be addressed.
If a man named "Rudolph" says, "Please call me Rudy," to ignore his request and call him "Rudolph" would be rude.