To think that my friend's husband shouldn't be calling his teenage daughter...

[spababe]

'Babe'

?

I call my 6 month old DD babe. Or baby. Don't really think anything of it until now

I know people who call everyone babe whether young or old, male or female.

It's just an expression. My brother calls his son "darling" - that seems to be common in his area, not something I'd do but I won't judge him for it....

To be fair i call both husband and kids darling. My grandma calls everyone baby.

Here (west yorks) lots of people use babe as short for baby. As in 'going to pick the babe up from nursery' 'are you bringing the babes?'

It sticks then becomes a term of endearment for young kids/teens etc. i dont know anyone who uses it as a 'sexy' nickname, its used just like love/sweetheart etc.

And if you live in yorkshire you will get called one of these at least 5 times a day :)

What a ridiculous OP.

I call my friends babe, my boyfriend babe, my dog babe, my colleagues babe.

As do they me (not the dog, obviously) and my parents call me it. It's just affectionate and jokey.

Thought you were going to say slag or bitch!

Ffs babe??

Get over yourself op

Here in brum it's bab! Or the babbie!

Clutch your pearls.

My mum calls me "baby"

Dinky. Thanks. He was one of kindest and bravest (saved a few peoples lifes) and funniest man i know. He kept my sister and entertained for hours with his stories etc. he once pitched a tent his my parents lounge and bought some smellie cheese which we didnt like. Both my sister and i miss him still now and talk about him. Last time i spoke to him, he was dying of cancer and he told me he always pretended my sister and i were his children (he never had any). I said id have been honoured to be his daughter (my dad would understand and was next to me anyway during thus conversation anyway). If ever i hear someone speaking his accent now id stop in the street. I love the bradford, yorkshire accent now!

What a ridiculous OP

This. Times 1000.

And what the fuck is wrong with calling your son 'Darling' - in fact - what is wrong with any term of endearment?

Christ almighty I really think I've read it all now...

I call my children sweetheart, darling, pet. My husband would usually utter the phrase "come here to me sweetheart" on a daily basis to at least one if our three daughters.

I sometimes call DS and DD babe. My mum called me babe till the day she died.

And what the fuck is wrong with calling your son 'Darling'

Darling just sounds weird coming from my brother - no need to get so aggressive about it!! Have a Chill Pill

You'd be hard pressed to go in a little shop here and escape without being referred to as 'babe' regardless of age, gender etc. I'm late 30's and am still referred to as babe by both parents.

I think babe is fine to your children, it's just a shorter version of baby. Gorgeous/darling etc are fine too, 'sexy' I would have an issue with.

I'd never used the term before I met DP, but he calls me babe and I reciprocate. He also calls his DDs babe, I have been known to let it slip out when talking to my DCs too.

Where I did draw the line was hearing him call his ex babe on the phone - that felt like a kick in the stomach. He has also used it while talking to female work colleagues in my presence, so I know he doesn't see it as being quite as personal as I do.

So while I accept that it's just a term of endearment, like darling or love or whatever, it is a bit too gushy for me to feel happy with him calling just anyone babe. However, his DDs are on the approved list.

I'd say it's other way round: it's creepier when couples use it as originally it was meant for children - babies - babes.

Bizarre post.
Surely if it's strange at all then it's strange when used by a lover rather than a parent? Not that I find it strange in any context.

DH calls me sweetheart regularly. He also regularly calls DD, sweetheart. I've never considered it inappropriate.

Another Brummie here - it's most definitely bab round this way. My Mum calls me babe and I'm 38.

It's a term of endearment

I call my son babe!

FIL calls my 27yo DH babe yabu

I too clicked on this thread expecting it to be 'sexy' or something like that

Babe's harmless. Here in Yorkshire, my OH calls me and our kids 'cock' as does my mum. I'm guilty of 'lovie'.

My 5year old is my babe, can't imagine I'll ever stop calling him it.

Agree that if you stop to think about it it's much weirder to call an adult you find sexually attractive a short form of baby.

Mine are all bub.