https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 21:38:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/3#post-2315978 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 14:53:30 +0000 BandDmommy 2315978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, he says "yes ma'am" and "yes sir" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/3#post-2315977 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 14:50:07 +0000 daniellemybelle 2315977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: @yoursilverlining: I think it's so interesting to hear those of you that are, like, vehemently against it!</p> <p>This is definitely really regional - I feel like even though we live in TX now it is less common here because there are so, so many transplants in our city and it's more progressive here than other parts of the state. When we lived in TN, it was very common especially from children to any and all adults. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315940 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 13:22:25 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 2315940@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At 2 we are learning Please and Thank You first and going from there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315856 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 08:39:58 +0000 Mrs. Deer 2315856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes we are! When we ask her to do something she'll reply "yes ma'am!" and do it (though she often still says sir to me haha). It took some getting used but it's important to my husband so I've rolled with it. I've found it actually helps her do what she's told, it's like she knows once she replies respectfully that she'd better follow through. I've been pretty I happy with it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315830 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 07:31:36 +0000 MrsRcCar 2315830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes we will! DH is from Louisiana and raised in Texas. It isn't super common were we live now but I love hearing it come out of my toddlers mouth 💖 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315753 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 20:35:05 +0000 Miss Ariel 2315753@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Growing up in California I didn't realize people actually used those sayings. But now that I live in Louisiana it's a little different. Dh always tells me I'll need to remember to correct our kids once they're talking, so it's a yes here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315695 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 18:31:05 +0000 ShootingStar 2315695@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely not. I find it overly formal and kinda creepy. We will teach: please, thank you, yes please, and no thank you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315686 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 18:05:14 +0000 lemondrop 2315686@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We aim for, "Please/Thank you, Mr./Ms. First Name." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315562 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 11:24:52 +0000 coopsmama 2315562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Purpledaisy: Same here. Whenever I hear someone say ma'am the receiver tends to look a little offended unless they are over 70. :silly: </p> <p>I hadn't thought of this really as something I'd teach my kids because no one seems to anymore and I think it would come off a little weird. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315553 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 11:08:51 +0000 Purpledaisy 2315553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope! Not common where I live in california. I feel like ma'am is more of an insult, women take it like you're calling them old :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315542 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:44:41 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2315542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, we won't teach it as it is never used here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315491 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 07:47:26 +0000 MrsYellowJacket 2315491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Of course!! We're in the south </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315470 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 06:22:34 +0000 Alba4 2315470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, New Yorkers don't use those terms. Please and thank you will suffice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315464 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 05:11:07 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2315464@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, not common around our parts at all. She's taught to use first names (we live abroad) and its reinforced by preschool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315456 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 03:53:57 +0000 Jess1483 2315456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. We say it to him just being funny and he has started using it sometimes (also to be funny), but since we didn't teach it, he often gets it wrong and says sir to me or ma'am to DH. It's pretty cute.</p> <p>He uses yes, please and no thank you very well. In fact, during his rescue swim lessons he occasionally is upset and will yell "no thank you!" over and over. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315436 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 23:50:09 +0000 daniellemybelle 2315436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: My LO is only two but she says "thank you" when she means it and it is adorable :) I just melt when she is all over the top, "THANK YOU, Mommy!" But "no thanks" is pretty much what she knows as how to say no to something. She says "no thanks" rather than "no" probably 75% of the time. We just modeled it and reminded her about it when she didn't use it. It's important to us for her to polite and respectful. Honestly, it covers a multitude of toddler sins in public. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315344 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 19:26:44 +0000 yoursilverlining 2315344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm still in the same camp as last year - NO. Honestly, there is something that really bothers me about the learned/forced "ma'am/sir". It's so disingenuous, I don't find it respectful and it bugs me when I hear littles parrot it. But, I know it's the routine in much of the country. Not my part, thankfully. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315295 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 18:22:43 +0000 NurseDMB 2315295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, but I live near Boston and rarely ever hear people use those terms. I feel weird when people refer to me as "ma'am" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315284 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 18:04:48 +0000 travellingbee 2315284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in Texas but I'm from NY. I'm not a fan of it except to strangers. Then I think it's polite. But I think it's weird to say to family and friends. Luckily my born and bred Texan DH agrees that he isn't a fan either. So we certainly won't force the issue. Please, thank you and excuse me are much more important to me. He's pretty good with those. It melts everyone when he says them too. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315269 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 17:24:31 +0000 Torchwood 2315269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We won't. I just don't like it, and don't think it's necessary. We won't force please or thank you either, but will be sure to use them a lot ourselves, and explain why. Teaching by example and all. With thank you especially, I want her to say it because she means it, not because we force her to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315188 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 16:07:39 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2315188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: the English language has a ton of words and phrases that do double &amp; triple duty- she'll pick up on it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315185 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 16:05:16 +0000 daniellemybelle 2315185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Oh, "excuse me" is one we need to work on. She does say "move." :/ </p> <p>Maybe I'm not giving her enough credit but I feel like it's hard to learn that you say "excuse me" when you burp/fart AND to move past someone...? Like the former is kind of, "I'm sorry," and the latter is not at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315179 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 16:01:38 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2315179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We won't teach them ma'am and sir because we simply don't say it unless we're being playful. However, I say "no, thank you" and "yes, thank you" and " yes, please" and will teach it to my LOs. They will also learn to say "excuse me" instead of huh or move or a bunch of other nonsense I hear. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315134 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:25:03 +0000 daniellemybelle 2315134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AggieDaze: My LO is pretty horribly behaved in many ways so I am pleased with our small victory that she is usually polite! :) It sucks but the most important thing is modeling. I say "yeah" so that's what LO learned first. I switched to "yes please" basically all the time and she picked it up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315132 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:24:36 +0000 PurplePeony 2315132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The only people I know who use these terms are in the military (or are retired military). I've never lived in a place where people say sir or ma'am regularly, nor am I likely to. So, nope -- won't be pushing it on DD. If we ever do move to a place where it's the norm, we'll reassess at that point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315131 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:24:07 +0000 sometimesshesings 2315131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. It would sound really odd here in CA. And I hate being called ma'am!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315125 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:21:45 +0000 AggieDaze 2315125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: I hadn't thought of this... but I like the idea of my son saying "yes please" or "no thank you" - still adds respect (vs just yes or no) without the maam and the sir. </p> <p>At the moment, I'm just trying to get to "yes" vs. "uh huh." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315116 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:16:08 +0000 .twist. 2315116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. It's not common here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-2315112 Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:13:41 +0000 daniellemybelle 2315112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Reviving an old thread - just curious where folks fall on this a year or so later.</p> <p>We are teaching LO to say "yes ma'am/sir" and "no ma'am/sir" though she says, "yes please" and "no thanks/thank you" more. I feel like "please" and "thank you" are more important than the titles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-teach-your-children-to-say-sir-and-maam/page/2#post-1346873 Tue, 14 Jan 2014 15:54:22 +0000 mrsjyw 1346873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>nope. it's not common around here. respect to elders, most definitely! saying sir or madam? nope. </p>