I know its been done a million times but... LITTLE MAN

[whatwhatinthewhatnow]

My child will not be called little man. The reason? You shout that in public and every boy child aged 10 or under will turn around.

Ive had it with Facebook updates about 'My little man...', people saying to me about my bump 'Hows that little man doing?', and conversations with family members about how well their little men are doing at school. We dont call daughters 'Little women'???

What did we call our sons before this awful meme started?! And how to I subtley veer DP away from doing it?!

AIBU?

Why is a term of endearment wrong just because it is commonly used? You might as well say that 'My love' is tacky because every mother is using it.

I use

My lamb
My love
My lovely
My little man
My precious (even though it makes me sound like Gollum)

-- Not to call out in public, but as an affectionate form of address.

I don't like it either.

But I do call 5 week old DS Mr Baby - is that as bad? He just has such a serious old man face sometimes...

I agree Eleison. Even if every other mum in the country suddenly started using "little man", I wouldn't make a massive effort to stop calling him that and come up with something else just to be clever and original!

Ok, grant an exception for Scottish or Irish people - wee man sounds ok to me.

Little man just seems to be making a big deal out of the fact that it is a male rather than a baby/small child.

I use it when referring to the children of people I don't know so well. It usually means that I can't remember their name.

I call my ds little man.
I also call him Buddy. That has been stolen

I did it sometimes when they were little. Round here girls get called 'little maid' which I think is quite sweet. It's meaningless - just a nickname.

My IRish friend used to call her daughter 'Wee woman' sometimes. But I had never heard 'little man' until DS was about 11 months and it was a phrase they used at his nursery.
I tend to call him Little Chicken or Shmoo (don't know why) but now he is nearly 6 he is beginning to resent this. In fact last week when we were playing Dr Who in the park I got sternly reprimanced. 'DOn't call me Chicken, mummy, call me The DOctor'.

My little man is "big boy". I can't help it, and it does slip out in public from time to time [shame]. Mostly just between us at home.

I have never heard anyone call their son little man, other than on here. But I don't see what is wrong with it.

i'm with kreecher - it's definitely a name for a penis - not a child.

Is it regional?

Have never heard anyone use it tbh.

For some reason my son used to be "best boy"-which as he pointed out, isn´t saying much as he´s our only boy!

Get a grip.

It's common enough up here in Scotland for people to refer to their son as 'wee man'.

The girls get called 'wee woman' or 'lassie' or 'pet'.

So what.

another who can't stand little man but most of my friends have daughters so don't hear it too often.
I call DD Bratfink, which she finds funny.

Eleison - she's also a beano club member and has been for years - no style and beauty mags here (thank god)

Thats it though expat. You just said it. Its common...

YABU. I call ds Little Man and I'm not ashamed! I call him that at home, in public, wherever I choose. There are many, many worse ways to address your son.

i call my dd baby girl and i don't give a shite what some cynical judging harping thinks

'Thats it though expat. You just said it. Its common...'

Oh, yes, of course! You know Scotland, full of a bunch of mucky Jocks.

How pathetic. I call my ds munchkin man, and I couldn't give a feck what you think about it.

Chill. Tis just a term of affection.

We have a long tradition of morphing names/nicknames in our family so our DS is now often called 'Mittups' (don't ask). Not planning on bellowing it when out in public though.

You're all common, especially you Scots and Irish.

FFS.

Don't worry, Expat - I am from Northumberland originally and I suspect that is where I got the "wee man" thing from. We just don't know how to talk proper like up north.

I call girl 'Little lady' or 'little mrs'

Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen
We daren't go a hunting
For fear of little men

Little man always brings this to mind!

Well, for sure, anne, notherners just as bad as Scottish and Irish. All coal faces and yokels.

I like it

I often called DS3 'little man' (among other things)

Unfortunately it has backfired somewhat now he's three. If I call him 'Little man' now he says 'I'm not little man, I'm big boy'

I am not going to call him 'big boy'......