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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to cringe when adults call their parents mummy and daddy?

126 replies

Milly848 · 02/12/2018 18:32

A friend of mine still calls her parents mummy and daddy. She's 27, and she does it in public.

I asked her once (casually), and she said her parents have always insisted on it and thought mum/dad was disrespectiful.

Fair enough and I know it's none of my business, but I can't help but cringe a bit when I hear adults call their parents this. It just sounds childish and makes me think they're still treated like a child. Then again her parents do still finance her...

OP posts:
TimeWoundsAllHeals · 03/12/2018 08:28

I call my dad daddy but my mum is mum or even “mother!” If I’m annoyed with her lol.

user1484424013 · 03/12/2018 08:29

I still call mine mummy/mammy and daddy. It is an Irish thing and a thing of respect. Leave ypue friend alone. God help her with you as a friend

MsTSwift · 03/12/2018 08:31

I think it’s quite sweet. The only people I know that do it are proper upper class so assumed it was very much a posh thing. None of our peer group do.

luckylavender · 03/12/2018 08:31

I dislike it too. Not always a class thing either. I'm Welsh & wouldn't dream of using 'mam' or 'mammy'. Makes my toes itch.

Accountant222 · 03/12/2018 08:36

I've known people's children call them Mum and Dad, then later after Uni, the said children try to be a bit posh and go to Mummy and Daddy, then I hate it. If it's always been Mummy and Daddy then fair enough.

I didn't have a particularly good relationship with mine, hence Mother.

longwayoff · 03/12/2018 08:40

I find it very touching. Seeing my brother in law looking after his 89 years old father and asking "daddy can I fetch you a drink? " brought years to my eyes, thinking of the reversal of roles.

MysweetAudrina · 03/12/2018 08:50

Mammy and Daddy here which is the norm in Ireland although my kids call me mum or mam. I find any of these preferable to what men in their teens and early 20's would call their mother when I was growing up "the aul one" the aul dear"

imonlyherefortheAIBU · 03/12/2018 08:52

My boss calls her mum and dad mummy and daddy when they come to work it's awful.

jellyshoeswithdiamonds · 03/12/2018 08:53

Have always called my parents Mammy and Daddy. I'm nearly 50, not changing now.

Last week took my 71 yo mother to see her consultant, she has a tendency to sidetrack conversations when she doesn't want to hear the information, without thinking I said "Mammy, we need to listen to him".

To other people I refer to my parents as my mother and father.

Last year she told me she wanted me to call her Mum .... like my brother does Hmm told her what he calls her is up to him, I'm not changing. She called her parents Mammy and Daddy so not sure why I shoukd be the one to change Confused

Our kids call us Mum and Dad, that was their choice, I'd rather be Mam but wouldn't dream of telling them. If I'm ever lucky enough to be a grandmother I'll insist on Mam then Wink

Ohyesiam · 03/12/2018 08:54

It’s really cringe/ funny to me that an adult ( or anyone insenior school) would call their parents mummy and daddy.

Ohyesiam · 03/12/2018 08:55

And can’t quite believe people aren’t embarrassed to do so in public, or to refer to them in their absence.

TheWiseWomansFear · 03/12/2018 08:57

I do it, I'm 23, parents got upset when I tried to change you mum & dad as a teen, so I just stuck to calling them mummy and daddy

PoisonousSmurf · 03/12/2018 08:59

As long as they don't ask for 'milky' as well Wink

TheWiseWomansFear · 03/12/2018 09:00

And I'm not rich or upper class, or Irish

babydreamer1 · 03/12/2018 09:00

I call mine mummy and dad or daddy, but would always write daddy in cards ect, it's who they are to me! I will insist DS calls me mummy for as long as I can get away with it, until he's 30 maybe? Grin

erykahb · 03/12/2018 09:09

Definitely a class thing
Makes me cringe too

erykahb · 03/12/2018 09:09

Although it's common in the Caribbean too

EmeraldShamrock · 03/12/2018 09:15

Yabu. My DP and most of his family friends and neighbours call their parents Mummy and Daddy all their life. It is regional for them in Belfast, I really like it.
I hate Ma and Da more, which was the normal in some parts of Dublin once you hit 12 to act cool. I used it when I was a teen, now it is Mam and Dad.

OutPinked · 03/12/2018 09:17

Common amongst the upper class. Also believe it’s common in Wales and Ireland. Prince Charles almost definitely calls the Queen Mummy Grin.

I can’t honestly see an issue. What I do find weird is wives calling their husband Daddy...

HPLikecraft · 03/12/2018 09:18

Where I come from, it was mummy and and daddy up until about 8-10, then mum and dad.

But with my own DC, DS(26) says mum and dad; DDs (23 & 21) both say mummy and daddy; DD(12) mum and dad; and DD(9) mama and daddy. I've never guided them, just let them choose.

Why would anyone care what anyone else calls there parents?

HPLikecraft · 03/12/2018 09:21

And can’t quite believe people aren’t embarrassed to do so in public, or to refer to them in their absence

Because they couldn't give a fuck what judgemental twats strangers think, maybe?

foxtiger · 03/12/2018 09:23

I cringe when anybody over the age of about 7 does it.

Giantbanger · 03/12/2018 09:25

Do you people not feel ashamed to be so racist?

Yet again, racist statements that mock an Irish / Northern Irish / Welsh / Caribbean way of speaking are being allowed to stand. I thought MN had made a decision they would deal with this. Disappointed, tbh.

it is RACIST to mock another race/ethnicity way of speaking. RACIST.

Jeanclaudejackety · 03/12/2018 09:26

Its upper class or maybe Irish although my Irish dad called his mum Mammy not Mummy although I think Mummy is normal also there.

If its not with an Irish accent I have to admit I'd find it a bit weird but I'm from the North and no one would ever do it here (we're all clearly common as muck haha)

One of my cousins in the NE And likes to be Mummy. Her kids are like 12 and 10 or something.

EdwardScissorskills · 03/12/2018 09:26

Mummy and Daddy here. Don’t cringe on my behalf. As you point out, I am a grown adult who can do as she pleases.

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