That is a good question!  I personally have several friend who have always referred to my own mother as "mom" and have grown up pretty well adjusted.  In this case the child has some clear abandonment and attachment issues.  I am not a therapist but stay tuned and I will give the question to one of the therapists at We Care.

Hi! I am hoping for some advice here. There is a 6yr old girl in our neighbourhood..she is friends with my 2 youngest daughters. When she was born her mother abandonned her..her dad (elder gentleman) took her home and still takes care of her. Recently (a month now) she has been calling me mom (when she is playing w my girls) she knows i can hear her. My question is..shud I allow it? She knows concretely that im not her mom. She never talks to other adults in the neighbourhood...i mean never. (very lively when interacting w other kids tho) Im not sure what to do about this. I adore this little girl and certainly dont mind her calling me mom,,,i just not sure if it is ok or not. Thank u!

Children tend to continue a behavior when it is rewarded and stop a behavior when it is ignored. Consistency in your reaction to a behavior is important because rewarding and punishing the same behavior at different times confuses your child. The best way to stop unwanted behavior is to ignore it. One way to encourage good behavior is to use a reward system. This works best in children over 2 years of age. Make a short list of important rules and go over them with your child. Avoid power struggles, no-win situations and extremes.

Normal behavior in children depends on the child's age, personality, and physical and emotional development. A child's behavior may be a problem if it doesn't match the expectations of the family or if it is disruptive. Normal or "good" behavior is usually determined by whether it's socially, culturally and developmentally appropriate. Knowing what to expect from your child at each age will help you decide whether his or her behavior is normal.

What behaviors has your child displayed that  have you worried?  Which ones just make you laugh and are good stories to share?