When referring to children, when parents use the singular "kid," does it rub you the wrong way?

I completely agree. When it’s singular, presumably a loving parent would use the child’s name. “the kid” abstracts the child’s humanity/individuality. “The kids” is ok because it’s collective.

I find intentional bastardisations of language to be a crime worthy of the gas chamber.

Thank you @gorillapaws. That’s pretty much it, isn’t it.

I never really thought about it until you asked this Q, but yes, it does sound weird.

@Kardamom…where ya been?! Yeah, one sounds low class. Kind of trailer trashy. The other seems affectionate.

It doesn’t bother me at all. The purpose of a language is to convey information. So long as the conveyor and recipient of the information understand each other there should be no problem.

Depends on the context and tone of voice, but I think “kid” is endearing. My dad often referred to me and my brother as “the kids,” and sometimes he addressed me directly as “kid” or “kiddo.” When I heard it I felt loved.

I agree with @Pachy.
I think ‘kid’ is usually used either as a term of endearment or semi-tongue in cheek. Both are more explicit and personal that “kids”.
“The Kid” as opposed to ‘one of the kids’.

True. If you are talking about a singular kid, I would think you would use their name. But I can see saying, did you get the kid something if you are not familiar with their name or temporarily forgot.
Let’s give an example. My husband has such a large family that it is difficult to remember all their names and at least 1–3 new children are added yearly. We are often invited to baby showers and or 1 birthdays. I don’t always know the name. So it’s kid, baby, little one, sweety till I do remember, but most are far away and I may only see them maybe once every 5 years. So even when I learn it, I have 5 years to forget it all over again.

In Liverpool “our kid” refers to a younger sibling & is fine

I went to see a psychologist for postnatal depression. She was awful and didn’t help at all apart from one thing. She said, rather rudely, to stop calling my daughter ‘the baby’ and refer to her by name and then I would bond better with her. I did this as it did give me pause for thought. Happily, and no thanks to her, I got better and have a good relationship with my DD who is now a teenager! So yes, I think calling your kid ‘the kid’ is odd and not very loving. Unless it is done in a loving pet name kind of way, like @ucme‘s example of our kid

I also knew a family growing up where the youngest daughter was deaf. She was always referred to as The Baby even though she was just 3 years younger than the twins my age. I always though this was odd and patronising – I felt it was persisting because she was deaf and therefore babied a lot. They were very loving towards her though even her mum, who was a teacher at my primary school and was a real bullying/dragon type.

Oh, I can see using “kid,” lovingly, when you’re addressing the child directly. “Whatcha doin’ kid!” Or, laughing, “The kid is crazy!”
@ucme, when I was younger, and was the oldest, my two younger sisters were referred to as “the little kids.”

It’s when it’s used in a more serious manner to a third person that it jars me.
For example, when we got divorced my ex moved to Washington and took our then 13 year old daughter with him. She was born to my husband and his ex, but I’d been raising her since she was 18 months old, legally adopted her when she was 7.
Anyway, not long after my ex took her, she called and wanted to come home. My ex had kicked her out of the house.
My mom helped me get a “run away” ticket, which is a standing airline ticket for kids who’ve run away, and want to come home.
Upon hearing that news my ex dragged her back “home,” called me up and said, “You ain’t takin’ mah kid!”

That’s jarring to me.

When I hear “the kid” it puts me in mind of a dickhead dad who wants nowt to do with a girlfriend or her recently annnounced expectant baby.
He fucks off & uses those words as a disconnect because he’s an immature, selfish little shit.
e.g…“i’m not ready to be a dad, but if you want i’ll give you money for the kid”
So yeah, it’s a bad thing to say

Yes! exactly @ucme. Exactly. Saying, “I’ll give you money for the kids,” sounds completely different.

It definitely is a disconnect, suggests the child is a kid rather than our or even mine

It depends. If it’s said somewhat jokingly, all is good.

I think this may bother you because there is no reason to say “kid” instead of “Jake”. Saying “kids” instead of “Jake, Taboula, Rose, Meredith and Kingston Junior” makes a lot of sense.

^^^^ Right.

That’s my little girl’s name. Yougottaproblemwiththat?!

NO! How do you pronounce it?

\ˈRōz\, duh.

^ Yeah, let’s go with that.

I think it’s not a good thing to do. GQ @Dutchess_III.

I sometimes will refer to my 8 year old as “the baby,” @Stinley. Not always, especially now because she’s very un-babylike. I have a coworker who has a younger brother. I asked her how old he was when they stopped referring to him as “the baby” and she said he was about 20. I’ll say things like “I’m going to get the baby” or “I just got the baby at my mom’s house.”

“Baby” is affectionate.

I’m watching a kind of “Cops” knock off called “DUI.” 20 year old girl got busted for meth and just about everything else. She’s a mess. She’s going to jail. She has a one year old son. She said, “I’m so worried about my kid.”
Not “my son,” or “my child.”
“My kid.”

^ If anything, I think “child” sounds even more distanced.

Does it? It doesn’t to me.

^ Interesting.

I find your POV interesting too.

I refer to children as ‘emergency rations’