"Can you say mama?" "No, DADDY"

[EllisRoses]

My toddler is 18 months, has about 30 words. Can say moo, milk, more etc so M's aren't the problem. Says daddy a million times a day, in the right context I.e to his dad "up daddy/no daddy/yes daddy" but if you ever, and I mean ever say "say mummy, say mama, copy me, mama" he just says "No, DADDY!"

He did it a few times in front of people who laughed a lot and found it hilarious, so I think he may just be performing now. But it sucks! Will he ever say mummy?

My first didn’t say Mummy until after that age before then she called me by my first name and then within a few months she shortened it to Mum. Fast forward 2 year and she is 4 and we are in lockdown and I want to change my name.

@Thatwentbadly

My first didn’t say Mummy until after that age before then she called me by my first name and then within a few months she shortened it to Mum. Fast forward 2 year and she is 4 and we are in lockdown and I want to change my name.

Ha! I'm sure one day I'll want him to stop but I'm desperate for him to start. He doesn't call me anything! His dad gets "no daddy" I get "NO!!!!" his dad gets "yes daddy" and I get "YAYAYAH"

Little sod.

He doesn't need to say mummy. You are still an extension of him. Try being slow to react when he wants something. He'll soon work out your name!

me and my 9 year old ds were laughing about this yesterday because I was telling him the exact same thing from when he was a baby. It went on for ages and drove me mad. Funny now though

Me "say mamama"

Ds "mmmmmmdadadadada

We are in the same situation! 18month DS has said daddy since about 12 months and still no mummy/mama! I try not to be offended

My little one is 15 months and she loves saying Daddy. When I take her out she says it that often that I have to jokingly say "That's not your Daddy" as men keep turning around. We have managed to get Mama a few times now so whilst she won't say Mummy we're on our way.

My 2.5 year old doesn't say Mummy. She says a vague 'Maaa' if she really wants something. One of her first words was 'Daddy' .... and NOOOOO. She can say about 70 other words. Just never Mummy 🙄

Mine does exactly the same. If I say mama will repeat dada back to me.

I don't take offence it will come when it comes!
Ungrateful little so and so.

Mine could name 4 different dinosaurs before he said mummy. Literally a year after he said daddy and his brother's name. Same as you, it became a funny game to him! It won't be long, and then he will probably never stop!

This reminded me of that scene in Dinosaur, where dad is trying to get get the baby to say Daddy and he says "not the mama" instead. (That's if anyone remembers Dinosaur)

This one

My little one was the same, only said daddy for ages then suddenly said mommy out of the blue. I think she used to say daddy to mean both of us though if that’s any consolation.

my DC were the same and honestly like another pp says the irony is that they literally see you as an extension of them , the sun so to speak so why would you need a name , it's like for them naming their right arm.

Bloody frustrating though. I honestly do remember it being annoying at the time but like another pp I regularly threaten to change it to esmeralda because I am fed up of hearing it 5000 times a day currently (they are 8 and 5 so it is usually followed by Can I have a snack? ).

I still love it really,I'm 41 and my DC are school aged and it still slightly amazes me that I am someones mum .

I had this, for months!! My little one only said daddy. Now he only says mama your turn will come when he does say mummy make sure you praise him well

2.5 year old here. Said daddy for well over a year. Said mummy for the first time this week. Says bloody dinosaur but not mummy.

My mum actively tried to get us to say daddy first, because then if in the night we were calling, she could tell him that we were calling for him!! (not sure the plan actually worked)

@Toddlerteaplease

This reminded me of that scene in Dinosaur, where dad is trying to get get the baby to say Daddy and he says "not the mama" instead. (That's if anyone remembers Dinosaur)

That baby also screamed if anyone went near him or touched him that wasn't The Mama. That was DC3 to a tee for the first 18 months of his life.

DC1 said cat before he said either mummy or daddy.

@Thimbleberries

My mum actively tried to get us to say daddy first, because then if in the night we were calling, she could tell him that we were calling for him!! (not sure the plan actually worked)

That's genius

Funnily enough like the poster above I actually considered Esmerelda as a name change. It's so obscure I'm impressed anyone else thought the same.

But everyone's right. You are part of him and him you in his eyes.

You'll become a separate person to be bossed around like a personal maid soon enough!

@Thimbleberries

My mum actively tried to get us to say daddy first, because then if in the night we were calling, she could tell him that we were calling for him!! (not sure the plan actually worked)

My DM told me the same and when I think back, me and my siblings first port of call was definitely my DF if we ever had an issue in the night, from what I can remember. I tried to do the same thing with DH and DD and it has worked great, she has almost always called for him in the night

Make the most of it, soon enough you'll hear the word Mama a thousand times a day and you'll long for the days when he was asking for Daddy instead!

@buzzandwoodyallday

I was sitting on a bus once and there was a child and her mother sitting on the seat behind me. The kid was chanting "Mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy...", ad infinitum. Her mother gave me a long-suffering look and said "I remember when I used to pray for her to say that."

“ He doesn't call me anything! His dad gets "no daddy" I get "NO!!!!" his dad gets "yes daddy" and I get "YAYAYAH"

This is because he has a secure attachment to you and he know no matter what happens you will be there for him. This a good thing but sometimes it feels hard as the Mum as it feels like you don’t get the credit.

My 19 month old has only just started saying mummy. Before that she either called me daddy or by her own name when pushed to call me anything. I think she just hadn't quite separated herself from me conceptually and was a bit confused about identifying me as a different person.

12 month old here. Cat, cow (moooooo), duck (uck or kwah kwah), dog (huh huh...as in, woof woof) & daddy (sometimes dada but normally daddy, nice and clear). Will say mama or mamamamama but not in context. Also points at DP when she sees photos of him and announces DADDY with a huge grin. When I show her photos of me and ask who is this, she looks at me blankly I’m with her ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. Have babies they said... Motherhood is the most rewarding experience they said...