What do you think about making your children call adults sir and ma'am all of the time?

Question

yes maam

no maan

etc. am i the only one who thinks its odd?

Answer 1

LOL!  i also think it is odd, atleast in the area where i live, noone does that, not even the most well mannered children.

I wouldnt make my children do that because that would just make them stand out too much and also because i wouldnt like doing it myself. My mom says that when she was a kid, she was expected to kiss her godmother and father's hand whenever she saw them. she says that she didnt like it and would have never made me or my brother do that!

Answer 2

I think its good manners.

Answer 3

I was raised like that i come from a strict military family.... I will not be teaching my kids to do that every time they talk to someone. Only when it's necessary. Its polite and show's good manners.

Answer 4

i never *insisted* they do so, they just realized over time that life was much more pleasant around the house when they did.

it's called "respect".  more ppl need to try it some time.

Answer 5

i think its impersonal... when i was growing up. i never called my aunts or uncles by like...."uncle joe, or "aunt lucy"  or anything like that. we were all on a first name basis. and we still are. if i were to have called them sir or mam i would have been smacked..

Answer 6

I think it is good and great manners what i think is bad is when the adult gives them permission to call them by their first name and parents still won't let them

Answer 7

Until I moved to the south, I thought it sounded odd too. Then I came here and, on the whole, children are much more mannerly and respectful than kids in New York and similar states. Ihave lived in many places and people may not like hearing it, but it's true. My own kids say Yes Mom or No Mom which is fine with me, but I admire parents who take the time to teach their kids what respect is from an early age.

Answer 8

It's good to teach children how to appeal to adults. With so many people running around convinced young people are so rude, I think most would be delighted to be treated with such respect from a child.

I only think it's important that the children only use it for people they don't know very well, like friends' parents, teachers, and adult aquaintances. And not to have to do it ALL the time.

Answer 9

Who cares if it makes you or your kids stand out. Called having and teaching manners. I enforce it with myself and my kids. I even call the younger kids sir and ma'am.

Answer 10

I think that children who do that are very polite.  

I haven't made an effort to make my children do that, though.  They do call adults 'Mr <whoever>' and 'Miss/Mrs <whoever>', though.  And, when we are talking to another adult that we don't know, we do sometimes model using 'sir' & 'ma'am'.  They use it sometimes, too, just from hearing us do it.

Answer 11

Good manners concern judicious displays of respect for self and others. It has little to do with subservient terminology and a lot to do with human relationship skills. I encourage my children to show a genuine interest in people of all ages and to use their preferred name. Respect is what we feel not what we are told to say.  

Although a regular tug of the forelock can seal you position in life for good, Sir, gawd bless you Sir.

Answer 12

this is how i was raised, this is how i raised my children. it teaches love. respect and discipline.there are a lot of people who think like you and there are a lot of people who think like me. it is a choice.

Answer 13

I am not so much into that...I think it is very respectful but I am from a family that wasn't into all that formality I didn't use the titles "aunt so and so" or "uncle blah blah" . My neighbor always calls me Miss Amy to her kids, but I am not into that either...I don't make mine do it....I hope I am not making my kids come off as rude to people by not making them....of course they have to call teachers, doctors, etc...by their formal titles though

so short answer yes, I think it is maybe not odd, but awkward to call sir and ma'am

Answer 14

Odd?  Not at all.  But unfortunately, poor manners are the norm these days, so many people aren't used to addressing others as ma'am/sir.

Answer 15

In the United States, this is basically a regional difference.  If you live in one of the southern states you are more likely to not find this odd at all.  If, however, you live in the Midwest or in the east, you would be more likely to find this unusual.  Some western states use Ma'am and Sir more than others.  We live in Michigan, where teaching children to use Ma'am and Sir is not very common.  However, we have traveled quite a bit and find that the use of Ma'am and Sir is considerably more used by everyone, both young and old, the further south we travel.  I personally don't find it odd as it is simply a polite way to address people.  I am mom to 4 children and have not taught them to say Ma'am and Sir, but I think if it perfectly acceptable to teach your children this if you want to.

Answer 16

No I think that it is teaching your child respect.  It's also called Manners!