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I'm in the South so it's expected and therefore we will likely raise our children to say it. But as a transplant from the North I often do think "sir" and "ma'am" are often just used because its automatic and not because the person saying it actually feels respect for the person they are saying it to.

I'm from New England where it isn't the norm and if I HADN'T married a military man from the South my kids probably would have never said sir or ma'am, but it isn't even a question to DH, lol, our kids will say it as a form of respect.

I have no problem with it, and in all honesty I've started saying sir and ma'am more often since I've been living on a Navy base (and I get called ma'am {at 24 years old} at least 5 times a day). Plus, I think it's absolutely adorable when super little kids say "yes sir/ma'am."

I think for me it's just a little too formal. My parents always had my freinds call them by their first names. And now I prefer that too.

Yes, and I still say it. Its definitely part of the culture here in the South. I prefer that my Pre-K students say it and then sometimes I catch myself saying sir/ma'am to their parents (who are usually only a couple years older than I am).

@MsLipGloss: Yeah, my mom was Miss Becky and my dad was Mr. Paul. No adults went by first name only.

My parents were fine with Daddy/Mommy instead of sir/ma'am, but otherwise, it was sir/ma'am.

You know I didn't use it growing up, though we were taught to call adults Mr and Mrs [last name]. I guess I didn't start to appreciate it until I started nannying for a little girl whose mother insisted she call me "Miss [first name]" not only was it respectful, but the most adorable thing ever to hear a two year old call me miss.. hehe soo cute. I think I will do the same with my LO. Most adults will probably be "Miss", "Mrs" or "Mr".
I would feel weird if LO called me Ma'am or my husband "sir" though. For other people tho - totally!

I grew up aware of it but not really encouraged or required to use it unless it was a more formal situation (meeting someone new, getting in trouble etc.) We also called people Mr./Ms. Last name unless we were invited to do otherwise in which case it was Mr./Ms. First name. (it was really awkward with my in-laws when we reached a point where it was silly to be calling them that since I knew them from the time I was in middle school...)

I remember when my dad was coaching baseball and had a few kids with attitudes he required yes sir/no sir from them and 15 years later they still use it with him and have a lot of respect for him. In that case I think it was slightly a power play but I would much rather there be a power play over that then over something of graver importance.

Living in the south now, I hear ma'am a lot more. I appreciate sir, as well. I think it's important for kids to use these terms no matter how old fashioned they may seem.

@artbee: @MsLipGloss: We had to call our parents friends Mr. and Mrs. Last Name. There was no calling them Mr. First Name or Mrs. First name. That was another respect thing that we will probably continue. I still call my parents friends from when I was younger Mr and Mrs. I can't call them by their first names, it would be too awkward!!

My parents are from the North, but I was raised in the South and it wasn't ever a big deal to them. But, when I moved to a very traditional and Southern part of West Texas, it is definitely seen as disrespectful if you don't ma'am/sir your elders or really just people in general. IMO, it sure can't hurt to raise your children to be the ma'am/sir type. I even teach in a school with a high Hispanic population and frequently the kids say, "Si, mon!" (Spanish slang for Yes Ma'am).

Hubby and I still use sir and ma'am frequently, and will teach our kids to do the same. We're both from the South and it's common to hear kids use sir and ma'am as well.

@cyneswith: My husband is enlisted and he's always referred to as "sir" when not in uniform. When he's in uniform he's referred to as Petty Officer...so, I'm not sure why you would think it isn't respectful to call an enlisted sir/ma'am...

@Navy_Mommy: At least in the Army, you get a heck of a lot of "don't call me sir/ma'am, I WORK for a living!" (officers are sir/ma'am.) It's really just enlisted to enlisted where people seem to mind. It didn't seem to be a big deal in the Air Force either, but I didn't know if other branches were as weird about it. I think Marines are too, though.

I think it depends on the situation..I've never called my parents sir or ma'am but I've used it when referring to other adults, typically older adults. I don't always do it. I guess I play it on a case by case basis.

I can definitely see your husband's perspective though. As a teacher I've wanted to scream when being called ma'am by certain kids because they say it in the most condescending way possible while rolling their eyes. Just because they're using the word ma'am doesn't mean they're being respectful.

@eeh: I totally agree that kids can be brats about it, but kids can be brats about anything if they want to be. Saying please or thank you can be rude if it's said in a sarcastic way, but I think MOST parents want their kids to say please and thank you, know what I mean?

I grew up doing it, and it was/is a respect thing. Our LO's will do it too. Plus we are a Military family too.

@PawPrints: I remember when my mom moved back to Texas after having living in DC for several years and felt really weird about being called ma'am. She finally realized it was because she'd gotten used to that in DC only REALLY elderly women were called ma'am and it made her feel old

I'm a Texan living in England so I'm not sure what we'll do. They don't seem to do ma'am and sir here and I can't imagine my husband being big on it anyway.

I think kids should say sir/ ma'am to teachers or other people of authority but when talking to their parents or uncle I dont think its necesary "Yes mom" or "yes dad" is fine by me

We don't do Sir or Ma'am, except in a sarcastic manner, but I do call friends of ours Miss Sandy or Mr. Joe around DS.

If you are living in the south, where yes ma'am/sir is common, there might be an argument for continuing. Otherwise, your kids could be perceived as being rude at school, friend's houses, etc. As for me, in Canada, I don't hear it very often, and especially not from kids. Like a PP said, makes me feel old when people call me ma'am.