We are NOT ‘you guys’

I don't mind it, in fact, its something that was used by my generation and still is. I'm north west, so we're routinely called 'love'.

Our 3 year old grandson came downstairs after being put to bed when staying at our house. "Scuse me you guys but I'm trying to sleep and you're all talking loud". We managed to keep straight faces, I said sorry, we'll be quieter, come on now, back to bed. (good try I thought)

I'm mystified that Ms raises such horrors in people. In the US I was addressed routinely as Ms or Ma'am. I don't mind Madam but prefer the French Madame.

Jane10 ?

It doesn’t bother me nearly as much as ‘hun’ ‘babe’ or the awful ‘bless you’
I m afraid I use the ‘guys’ term and don’t think of it as male I just think it means people in general

I don't mind 'You guys' at all, it doesn't bother me. Nor does madam bother me because I've lived in developing world countries where madam is a term of respect to older people. Though I can't think when I was last called madam in the UK.

I got called 'lass' a while back, which tickled me.

Yes, in a group situation, I have been included in the 'you guys' scenario ie 'do you guys want a drink' etc. On my own it's always Mum, Nan or by name (d.i.l.s call me by my name). But honestly, 'you guys' is ok by me.

Don’t mind it all, in fact I use the phrase myself quite often. But I do object to be called Hun or babe!??

The other annoying salutation is the one that sometimes appears at the start of a spam post "Hey! blah blah blah . . " Do they think we need to be yelled at with a loud-hailer to get our full attention before they can speak to us?

I really don't mind.

I'm from a north west family and once I've been called 'love' I know I'm back.

Lessismore, you need look no further than your name.
Just look at Sara’s post.
No need for the word guys at all. Less is better!

My dad was referred to as a lad when he was well into his 80's.

Really don’t mind it at all, especially if said with a smile. I’m much more likely to notice the tone of voice or facial expression when someone’s talking to me.

I object to being addressed by my first name by complete strangers, especially by children. Where did all this familiarity come from?

Lessismore here in Scotland people often refer to men as boys. Thinking about it, I think it's mostly men who say it as in 'I took the car to the garage and the boy looked at it.' They can be any age!

What do you want the children to call you RosieLeah? I remember calling neighbours Mrs X or if she was friendly with my mum, auntie X. I'm entirely happy with children calling me by my first name. Yesterday I bumped into two young women, one now 35, the other 33 who'd been regular visitors to our home from 3 - mid twenties when they started getting married, having children etc. it was so good to hear one in the car park, the other in the supermarket, call my name, run over and hug me.
If they'd grown up in the fifties as I did, rather than the 80's as they did I'd probably still be Ms X and never had developed the close relationships we did and continue to share

SueD, that's charming.

I felt very honoured in Bangladesh to be called 'Auntieji'.

I recently spoke to a policewoman about anti social behaviour on the train I was on. She addressed me as, "Ma'am". I quite liked it! .

Yes, Ma'am would do nicely. We British lack a word like madame. When I was working in our African and Kashmiri community, I was almost always called auntieX by adults and children alike.

Two of our elderly neighbours have died this year. Despite knowing them for over twenty years and their exhortations to call them by their first names, I've never been able to think or speak of them as anything but Mrs K and Mr B. It just seemed wrong to call them anything else.

In Kenya, all women over a certain age are addressed as 'Mama' as a sign of respect. I quite liked that!

Doesn't bother me - our adult granddaughters both refer to us and their parents as you guys - better than 'The Olds'

Yep.

Iam64, when I was a child neighbours were addressed as 'Auntie Jean' or whatever, I would prefer to be 'Mrs L'...which is what I am. Mind you, the young man who delivered my groceries the other day called me 'my lovely', which did sound nice. He was Welsh I think.

I don't mind.
As long as people are friendly and polite I don't care too much.