Do/did you raise your kids to say "yes ma'am" and "yes sir?"

[monarchsfan16]

My dictionary has the definitition of ma'am as "madam". Sorry, madam is reserved for snotty old people. If anyone ever calls me ma'am I'll be ticked. Even when I am a snobby old person.

 

[chadfromdallas]

I'm not offended,and actually,If it came froma southerner,I wouldn't be bothered..Coming from a Yankee,it's crap,I'm old

Well, as long as its cool for a southerner to say it to you, then there is no problems

 

[txSleepingBeauty]

This question is bugging me. Aside from it being polite in the south why would you want your kids calling you ma'am or sir? Why wouldn't you want to be called mom or dad? I'm not a mom yet (and don't plan to ever be) but if I was a mom I'd sure as heck want to be called mom. Mom's an amazingly special title. I guess it's my Yankee stupidity or something but I just can't comprehend that one. Ma'am and sir seem so impersonal. Mom and dad are the people who bring you into this world and who are so special to you (hopefully). Why use an impersonal title for them?

no I don't call my mom ma'am on a regular basis, but when she's yelling at me, then the answer becomes "yes ma'am". just proves to her that I'm listening and she's still the boss of me.

on a side note, my dad has decided that he wants my neice to call him "sir" instead of grandpa when she gets older, not as a mean disciplinarian kind of thing, but more of a joke

 

[JennyMominRI]

Well, as long as its cool for a southerner to say it to you, then there is no problems

I *know* it's a southern thing,so,I take it very differently coming froma southerner

 

[MinnieM21]

Yes, ma'am

No! Chad that's just wrong, I feel like your mama. I'll never be able to look at you in the same way.

 

[jonestavern]

It is a North/South thing but also a cultural thing. we are originally from California, & were brought up using "ma'am" & "sir". People from the East always assummed it was because Dad was career military. It actually came from Mom's family who were very strict-minded Latins.
I personally, believe every adult should be addressed by others as Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms. It is a simple sign polite respect. What's so wrong with a little formality? it helps establish boundaries.
Yes, I fully agree, as long as customary manners are in place, we can agree that 'ma'am' & 'sir' is a regional politeness. I would not go so far as to say because persons do not use 'ma'am' & 'sir' they are rude.
I remember having my 7th grade English teacher(in RI in the 60's) call me out, gently, for yes ma'am ing her, she said it made me sound like a servant.
A little background: after the Revolutionary War, Easterners would not address their elders or social 'superiors' by the common polite phrase 'master'--it was thought to be too BRITISH & therefore reeking of the class system & everything they rebelled against. Perhaps, it is from that begining Easterners come by their dislike of using 'Ma'am' & 'sir'.
There is no need to harp on each other--bowing is considered good manners in Japan, taking off yr shoes polite in Hawaii--different, not inferior, just different--

Jean

 

[Southern4sure]

This question is bugging me. Aside from it being polite in the south why would you want your kids calling you ma'am or sir? Why wouldn't you want to be called mom or dad? I'm not a mom yet (and don't plan to ever be) but if I was a mom I'd sure as heck want to be called mom. Mom's an amazingly special title. I guess it's my Yankee stupidity or something but I just can't comprehend that one. Ma'am and sir seem so impersonal. Mom and dad are the people who bring you into this world and who are so special to you (hopefully). Why use an impersonal title for them?

My boys do call me "mom" and their dad "dad" and I do love it. Im not called "yes ma'am", this is just a reply. Like when I ask my oldest to do something, he replies yes ma am instead of ok, sure or heaven forbids..o k maw!

 

[Nite0wl71]

I have never taught my kids ma'am/sir either, it just isn't used around here. I do call customers in the store ma'am, miss or sir. It used to bother me being called ma'am, but not any more, guess I am getting old

Funny thing when my kids call me I answer "yes ma'am" or "yes sir" I don't know why I do that and I never thought about it until reading this thread.

By the way I taught my kids all the other manners.

ma'am-Informal. madam
madam[<Old French ma dame my lady]

 

[Aidensmom]

Well, as long as its cool for a southerner to say it to you, then there is no problems

You can call me ma'am Chad, and I won't be offended. Maybe it will help soften the blow the next time you insult me LOL!

 

[Lachesis00]

I totally agree...


Yes Ma'am sounds like your being a smarty pants and itchin to get twapped... My son will be a smart alec... and do it. And yes he's being a brat(to family).

However... and I did not raise him to say it he will say ma'am and sir people he doesn't know or teachers. I'm not sure where he picked it up. He is very polite and respectful.

I find the "Miss...." plain weird. I don't know why, it just sounds creepy. A friend of mine had kids call her Miss Debbie... It just really weebed me out.

Mrs S is my MIL! Who is a teacher BTW LOL. I am Joey's mom (a favorite!) or Rachel.

No way...I hate ma'am and sirs! I can't stand it when one of y friends has her daughter call me "Miss Gail"...makes me insane...all the other kids just call me Gail and my daughter calls all my friends and neighbors by their first names.....anything else is to darn formal around here....

 

[bgirldeb]

I'm slightly regretting posting that I never use/used ma'am or sir. I've never once considered myself one without manners. And I certainly have MORALS. I'm a kind, respectful person. And was an incredibly respectful child as well. It just wasn't something common up here, in our area.

It's a bit of a broad generalization to make, to say that just because all children do not use "ma'am" they do not have manners. If I had children right now, I would not be inclined to teach them to use that word, as it is a bit foreign. But you can BET I'd instill good manners. Absolutely!! Mr., Mrs., Please, Thank You... among others.

It must be a regional thing.

It is totallly a regional thing, and NO I will not teach my sons yes sir/ma'am. It's just unnatural for me. I live in the South and thank goodness DH's family doesn't expect it.

The only time I've used it, aside from calling customers sir/ma'am at work, is when I got a speeding ticket!

Oh, my. Honestly, having been a northerner and now a southerner, it's not about who is more respectful than whom. So much of it is just a regional thing--a lot like using "y'all" (for which as long as I live here, will never sound right coming out of my mouth!) and "you guys." I've been told more than once that saying "you guys" in the south is considered rude, but it's just how I and everyone around me spoke for as long as I lived there.

I agree! "Y'all" will never roll off the tounge, so to speak for me. My MIL makes fun of me (all in fun, not mean spirited) for saying "you guys". That's just how my family has always talked.