To dislike the expression 'having children to him'

[WetAugust]

Sounds like a brood mare!

I've noticed this expression being used increasingly. Just heard it on Sky News.

What's wrong with having children with someone?

Right. I've emailed the news room and told them the term is demeaning and not acceptable.

I am in the midlands and I have heard "X is having a baby for Y" like it is some sort of gay surrogacy arrangement. Really winds me up!

Yep, my mum says it often, along with many other equally annoying turns of phrase, all of which I hate. She always says it in a slightly derogatory tone of voice, and it's especially used for gossipy tales of women who have had some children "to" one father, then more children "to" another. I spend a lot of time biting my tongue when I'm with my mum.

Yes, I was dismayed to hear this term being used in a news report too. It's the kind of thing said by the same people who use the word 'babymother' and have no idea how degrading and belittling they sound. It was very jarring to hear it in a news report as if it is an acceptable part of language.

Yes WetAugust, email their ass.

YANBU.

It's a horrible expression.

Prepositions are weird things, though, aren't they? They're not necessarily logical. A few years ago I saw the phrase "membership to" rather than "membership of" and thought it was a mistake. Then I started seeing it everywhere and discovered it was in common use, I'd just never heard it.

So I'd say "having a baby with", but some people must I suppose say "to". Not that I'd ever come across it before this thread!

Yes, I hate 'for', 'to' and 'by'. They all make me stabby.

'With' is acceptable.

It's very "agricultural" language. I work in racehorse breeding and a foal is described as "by" the sire (father) and "out of" the dam "mother".

I've never heard those terms applied to people, although I'm currently describing myself as "in foal" in a jokey way.

Yes - a good description 'agricultural'.

No response from the 24 hour news harriers.