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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

calling little boys 'little men'

62 replies

littlestmummystop · 21/11/2009 15:32

I just find it so, twee, irritating and unnecessary.

And why do mums only do it with their little boys ?

Why not called girls 'little ladies/ women'?

If I read one more facebook update..'is whatever-whatever with her little man' think I'll scream. Oedipal in reverse ??

just fits into the whole gender stereotyping of boys as hurly burly beings who so different and tougher than little girls they don't fit into child category.

AIBU ?

OP posts:
BosomForAPillow · 21/11/2009 15:34

I have heard "little ladies" a lot more than "little men". I don't think it's gender stereotyping...just saying the gender a different way. So YABU but if it annoys you just tell friends not to call your little man anything other than baby boy.

girlylala0807 · 21/11/2009 15:36

I know lots of people who say little lady

yabu

rubyslippers · 21/11/2009 15:36

well, like a lot of terms of endearment it may sound twee to some

hwoever, it is not as bad as some

a nursery nurse used to call my DS "little man" as a term of affection -

fernie3 · 21/11/2009 15:36

ah I say little lady and little man! I think its cute I dont think it implies they are any tougher in fact "little man" to me sounds like someone who needs snuggling and protecting. YABU

sarah293 · 21/11/2009 15:37

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RockBird · 21/11/2009 15:38

People who object to things like this get on my tits actually. It's a saying. That's it. Lighten up.

Attenborough · 21/11/2009 15:38

Little Men is the third of the four books in the series that begins with Little Women. I like it.

muggglewump · 21/11/2009 15:38

I hate it too. I have a DD and a friend of mine used to call her little lady. I had to ask her to stop as I hated it so much.

TrillianAstra · 21/11/2009 15:45

Really irritating.

But I expect I say many things that other people find irritating.

Anyway, your title makes no sense, it is backwards.

You say 'Am I being unreasonable calling boys "little men"'

but in fact you don't call boys little men, you dislike other people doing it.

LastTrainToNowhere · 21/11/2009 15:46

I call dd "little lady". Actually I call her "my precious little lady", which is even more twee now I think about it.

MedusaHead · 21/11/2009 15:53

YABU.

I call my DS "little man". But then I also call my DC's poppet, angel, my love all the time. I suppose that makes me twee and I don't give a shit.

"Oedipal in reverse?" WTF?

PrettyCandles · 21/11/2009 15:58

Ds1, now 9, is quite firm that he likes and wants me to continue calling him 'little man'.

I have three men in my life: my big man (dh), my little man (ds1) and my littlest man (ds2 - who is in fact so big that he is taller than many children two years older than him).

They like it.

YABU

BTW, we often call dd 'little lady'.

scottishmummy · 21/11/2009 15:59

well what a right on socialsciencetastic op.rubbish of course.lentil munching ire about nowt

spookycharlotte121 · 21/11/2009 16:00

lol ds gets called manling in our house. My very old grandpa came up with it and its cute and very fitting. He is a little maan.... very independant and the spitting image of his dad!

upahill · 21/11/2009 16:09

Not sure what the problem is. Just looks like another thread to moan to be honest.

There are all sorts of terms of endearment.
I have heard girls being callled 'the little lady' 'the little princess'and so on. So bloody what?

I haven't a clue what you're on about re gender steeotyping of boys as hurly burly.. What crap.
Scottishmummy....a bit less of the lentil munching if you don't mind.. that's what I'm having for tea!!!!

monkeyfacegrace · 21/11/2009 16:10

Mine are wee man and squidgy lady

DuelingFanjo · 21/11/2009 16:10

I hate it. I know people who do it but I still really hate it. Not that I would ever tell someone off for saying it though.

It's like 'bubba' or 'babs' or 'preggo'

blergh!

Morloth · 21/11/2009 16:12

DS is mostly referred to as Boy and Surname in our house these days.

Why do you care what other people call their kids?

scottishmummy · 21/11/2009 16:13

i am having lentil spag bol for tea.I'm a lentil muncher too

jellybeans · 21/11/2009 16:14

I hate that phrase too. Ugh!

scottishmummy · 21/11/2009 16:15

lentil muncher is a great term.use it frequently.so apt of many folk

JollyPirate · 21/11/2009 16:17

No I don't have a problem with it either (although can see where you are coming from OP). I also call my handsome and gorgeous boy "little man" and he's also known as angel, sausage(?) and cherub . He accepts all except "sausage" because "I am NOT a sausage Mummy".. but he is - because sausages are gorgeous and delicious and so is he.

upahill · 21/11/2009 16:19

Ha Jollypirate..DS2 was called sausage.com for a while because he loved sausages so much!!

scottishmummy · 21/11/2009 16:21

haha that is very funny

lockets · 21/11/2009 16:23

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