Saying "ta" instead of "thank you"

[saffstel]

Dd2 (10 months) is staring nursery in a couple of weeks. We did an intro hour yesterday.

Her key worker (who was also dd1's key worker) says 'ta' to the children when she hands them toys, food, etc.

This is a pet hate of mine and it annoyed me when she did it with DD1.

Wibu of me to ask her to say "thank you" instead of "ta"? The discussion sounds really petty when I have it in my head, but I really, really hate "ta".

Just run with it. The key worker will think you're a loon and your DD will learn how to say thank you eventually.

I think in a nursery setting it is probably petty tbh.

What if each set of parents gave in their language bug-bears? It would become a nightmare very quickly.

I'd decide if I was happy with the nursery, or not.

I can understand you might hate it but yes, it does sound petty.

I don't really think you can police nursery staff that way.

Just say 'oh I've heard staff saying ta a few times, we've been using thank you instead of ta at home, would it be possible to do that here with DD so it doesn't get confusing for her?'

Lots of parents would say 'ta ta' to their kids so there's no one solution that will suit everyone. And kids all end up with their own take on it anyway - DS says 'tatu'.

YABU.

I was dead against ta but it's what my dd (15 mo) says even though both cm and I only ever say thank you to her. It's just easier for her to say and I'd much rather she said ta than snatched and said nothing! So yes I think you're being a bit petty.

Hate, hate, hate this. Particularly when adults do it. My DP does it sometimes and it makes me cringe.

I was all ready to join the thread about how much the word ta is generally rage worthy and offensive but tbh if it's nursery staff I would let it go. Your dc will learn more from the way you speak in the end. And you will come across as a loon if you complain.

It wouldn't bother me. It means exactly the same thing. My 4 year old says cheers

The snobbery about "ta" on here astounds me, I've never come across it in real life. It's perfectly acceptable Northern English dialect, and much easier to say for a baby or toddler. Mine used to say it, as I said it to them naturally. When they were 2/3 they started to say thank you instead. It really doesn't matter. Or will saying ta make them fail the prep school nursery test? FFS

When my children were 9-10 months old - I'd hand them a biscuit and say "Ta?" they'd intone "Ta!" in response - they couldn't formulate 'Thank-you' but for them communicating 'Ta' was great! - it was the context etc. It came to symbolise request, Thank-you, and the whole thing around giving.

As they got older, we switched to 'Thank-you' ('Fank-oo!') For me, with such little ones, it was getting them to use language to express their needs - as they got older I made subtle changes, and they adapted accordingly.

Ds1 is now 16 and has an A* in English - guess he isn't too scarred.

Not petty, I hate the word 'ta' with vengeance! I think I might hate it so much that if my DS started saying ta I would move nurseries!!!

Why the snobbery about 'ta'?

Totally agree with Katnip and pixwix

I think most start off with 'ta' rather than 'thank you' at that stage. Most children will learn language by copying what they hear, comprehension comes later. It's just one way of encouraging a set sound response to an action.

Just thinking and even I say ta

What on earth is wrong with ta FFS? It teaches some politeness/social rules even though thank you is too hard to say.

I really don't get the big problem with this. I have never met an older child who doesn't know 'thank you' because people said 'ta' when they were little.

YABU. Yes it sounds petty. And snobby. And I wouldn't expect the nursery to accommodate silly whims of you and all the other parents. If I was working there I think it might make me what to say it even more!

I generally dislike using baby language with small kids. But for me, Ta isn't baby language, it's part of usual speech. I say it all the time, both at home and at work - and I work in quite a formal, old fashioned environment.

We said "ta" at first and then switched to "thank you" when DCs were a bit older ( 18 months maybe) and they got it straight away. Personally I wouldn't say anything

I hate it too and they do say it in dd's nursery but I would never say anything to them because I think they would think I'm a loon! "Ta" just really grinds on me though! I do correct other people sometimes!

I just don't like it. The phrase is "thank you". Not "ta".
I can't think of many other words which are changed for children (maybe doggie?) like this and I don't understand why it is.

But it is different if it's local lingo, I agree. I live in the south.

Everyone here says ta....i thought it was just another way of saying thank you? What's the problem with it....?