First time being called ma'am!

[speedydisteen]

I went to a grade school open house this past week. We were thinking of puttin Kurt jr in their PreK3 program in the fall. Anyway I had to fill out a little card and hand it to a student(middle schooler). I asked her "I give this to you?" She replied "Yes Ma'Am!"

That's it! I am officially old! lol...at the ripe old age of 24 I have been called ma'am!


Want to share your first expeirence with being calle dma'am or sir?

first of all it doesn't mean your old! what do you want me say? yes woman!

 

[MrsKreamer]

Pop Daddy -I thought it would be Matlock!
Seriously -It is just cultural norms. I sure it was not meant as an insult.
I never think of New Orleans as being part of "Southern Culture"
I think of New Orleans as special and having its culture a real mix of influences.

Aprilgail -it is certanly not sarcastic here. Is it in NY?

I agree with you, I really thought it was cute! She was right to call me ma'am it just felt weird!!! lol

 

[MI mom of 3]

I use Ma'am and Sir as terms of respect, I do not take age into consideration when using the term.

I agree...I have never considered it as a term for 'older' people. It is just the proper respectful term to use. If you don't use ma'am and sir...what do you use?

 

[DebbieB]

I'm from PA and I think it's usually used for older women. I was in Minnesota for work and was having lunch with 2 women from Minnesota and a guy from Georgia. He kept calling one of the Minnesota women ma'am. Finally she said "will you quit calling me ma'am?". I said to him "don't feel bad, northern women don't like to be called ma'am, it makes us feel old!".

One time about 10 years ago I saw Katie Couric interviewing a country singer. He kept calling her ma'am. She said the same thing.

 

[delilah]

I'm not in the south, but it's pretty normal here to be called ma'am, or miss ___ out of courtesy.

I think we must be from the same part of Indiana, because I have always called everybody ma'am or sir, or Miss, Mr. or Mrs. This must be the exception, because I read that other places doctors call their patients by their first names. I don't, and never have. However, I do call all post-pubertal women ma'am. Particularly if they have already born children, married or not, older than me or not. Even if I am a baby boomer, and some of my young mothers technically could be my children. I feel it is showing respect for their station in life, just as calling me "Doctor Delilah" is.

 

[Narnian_Princess]

I always learned that Ma'am and Sir were terms used to show respect. I began being answered "Yes, Ma'am" last year when I began teaching karate classes at age 17. I also prefer the kids to call me "Miss Rachel" after a Vacation Bible School I taught at when I was 15 had the kids call girl leaders Miss, women leaders Miz or Misses, and man and boy leaders Mister. I just like the sound of "Miss Rachel".

 

[Vivianne]

I'm from the Northeast, so the first time someone called me "ma'am" my reaction was But now, I'll take it any day over other common (not to be mentioned) references.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I grew up in NJ and the no one said ma'am but down here everyone says it, it's just being polite.