Strange question for all you italians!!

[Goobergal99]

Ok, I grew up in a very stereo typical italian family (Think the Sopranos )

So anyway, my DGM always called me "mom" and in turn I call my daughter "mom" --- "hey mommy come here" etc..

Getting to the point, it drives my hubby CRAZY! So recently we noticed that my MIL started doing the same, it just so happens that her new husband is italian as well and she told me she picked it up from his mother. So, it got me thinking is it really an italian thing? how many of you out there do the same? italian or not. I am really curious if it was just my own perception or if it is indeed another italian sterotype.

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

We do that, too. I just thought it was an Italian/NJ thing. Since you are in Philly maybe it is an Italian/regional thing. The boys are "Daddy", the girls are "Mommy".

 

[Tigger&Tink]

Grandma (NONA) is from Itay,,100 percent Italian,,,,my Grandfather (whom I never knew) was from the same town...my mom is 100% Italian.. was born and raised in Brooklyn New York,,,,I have A LOT of Aunts and Uncles on moms side,,Italian through and through..but I have NEVER heard any of them call there kids mom, mommy, daddy etc.....but I am going to ask my mom if maybe nona used it for her and my aunts and uncles,,,we left New York when I was 2,,,so maybe it just didnt travel with us with us

Tink

 

[DVC Sadie]

I grew up with a lot of Italians and Sicilians in New Orleans and I have never heard of that at all. Both groups had their Nona's living with them from the old country.

 

[Goobergal99]

Looks like it may be a philly area thing LOL

 

[crazyme5kids]

Haven't heard it from any of the Italians I've known, but I do hear it with hispanics.

 

[aprilgail2]

I am irish and I call my daughter mommy at times!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

SIL is Italian and they don't do that. They do yell SHUT UP alot and they are LOUD!!!

 

[helenabear]

Haven't heard it from any of the Italians I've known, but I do hear it with hispanics.

Funny, I don't hear it with anyone in my family who is hispanic either. The closest I've hears is someone calling their lover papi or mami (as in papi chulo, which originally came from the whole idea of sugar daddies and the like).

Haven't heard any of my close Italian friends do it either

 

[ryka]

I'm hispanic and I call my DD mama. Alot of hispanics do ( at least where I'm from) I call her mami sometimes too. Papi is used alot to but I have never called my son that.

 

[patrizella]

My mom was born in Italy and came here when she was three, from a small town outside of Naples. Our dialect of the Italian language is very "country". My grandmother was known as Nano, not the proper Nonna. She always called all of her grandchildren (14) and great grandchildren (6 before she passed)- "Mamma". My mom is known as Mama (slightly different pronunciation), but she calls all her grandchildren Mama or Grandma. It is so funny. I laughed reading this thread. Maybe it is an Italian thing, but from certain areas of Italy. Farm areas had large families-forgot all those names just call the Mommy

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Funny, I just wanted to add that my sil's family call their Aunt...Nunu (new-new)

 

[Sleepy]

My mom was born in Italy and came here when she was three, from a small town outside of Naples. Our dialect of the Italian language is very "country". My grandmother was known as Nano, not the proper Nonna. She always called all of her grandchildren (14) and great grandchildren (6 before she passed)- "Mamma". My mom is known as Mama (slightly different pronunciation), but she calls all her grandchildren Mama or Grandma. It is so funny. I laughed reading this thread. Maybe it is an Italian thing, but from certain areas of Italy. Farm areas had large families-forgot all those names just call the Mommy

Very odd. Maybe it is just a "family" thing as I live in a small town outside Naples and I also travel on a daily basis and interact with Italians in downtown Naples and I have yet to find anyone who call their child, etc something other than the correct term. Mom is mom, children are refered to as son/daughter, little one, handsome/beautiful, or by name, etc.

 

[LBAK]

Don't hear that from as many Italians around here but I do hear a lot of Hispanics doing it. The girl at our KFC drive thru calls me mommy all the time.

 

[funhouse8]

Don't hear that from as many Italians around here but I do hear a lot of Hispanics doing it. The girl at our KFC drive thru calls me mommy all the time.

This most be a Long Island thing. We live in a very italian area and we are Italian but nope never heard it from them. Yes, the Hispanics do this by us also. I've never heard the boys called Daddy or grown ups called either just the little girls called Mommy. I think it's kind of cute!

 

[Evil Queen]

My ex neighbor did this. He called his niece, who lived with them, mommy and called her brother monk.

I know originially they came from the NJ area.

Also, the kids called their Grandparents, Mom and Dad. I would get confused when they would talk about their family members.................

Of course, the member of the family I knew best never went by his name to anyone outside the family.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I am Italian and have never heard it.

 

[JKMastalski]

DEFINITLY a Philly thing. I moved from CT to South Philly and my DH's family drives me CRAZY with this. Everyone from the grandchildren to the dog is Mommy. I find the entire thing odd. My MIL will say to my DH "Mommy, bring Mommy a glass of water". The first time I heard this, I thought it was crazy. Could be an Italian thing as well, but I hear all types of Philly people doing this.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Italian here, but no we did not do that......maybe it is just in your area that they do it..

 

[Dan Murphy]

Marie's family are all Chicago Italians, never heard that used. I have heard other things though.