How do I get my 3.5 year old to stop calling me mum?

[whistlers]

Started a couple of days ago and it's constant.

I would like to be called mummy again. Mum sounds dreadful.

@Alcemeg

Box him round the ears!

I really hope "Hit your child because he called you mum" is a joke...

Sense of humour fail....

Sounds like you're more wrapped up in your experience of parenthood than your child's comfort.

I wonder what else you're gearing yourself up to object to, when reality doesn't match your Mummy fantasy? Because I guarantee that's going to happen!

@wednesdayweather

I had no idea so many people have such strong views about what others call their parents. As long as a date didn't call his mum 'bitch', I really can't imagine caring. Ditto with what my kids call me.

But they do, they do! On this topic alone we've had people saying 'Mummy':

makes them cringe
puts them right off a person
is very odd
makes their teeth itch

I once had someone tell me on here that the thought of my daughter, an adult, calling me Mummy "made her feel literally nauseous", and others chimed in 'yeah yeah me too, actually queasy'

Bonkers.

I've been 'mum' to dd since she was about 9/10, but strangely we still refer to her dad (ex dp) as 'daddy', e.g. it somehow doesn't sound right saying 'can you ask dad' rather than 'can you ask daddy'

Those trying to say it’s sweet, hold on to it, waited years to be called mummy etc
seem to miss the point; ignoring your child
over a name is nasty and abusive, after a long wait is mummy or mum really that big a deal? I know my sister couldn’t care less what her much awaited child called her!
I’m genuinely shocked at the selfish comments on here. Your DC will be here in 15/20 years posting about their odd controlling mother.

This is so weird

Reminds me of this:

@HerMammy

Those trying to say it’s sweet, hold on to it, waited years to be called mummy etc seem to miss the point; ignoring your child over a name is nasty and abusive, after a long wait is mummy or mum really that big a deal? I know my sister couldn’t care less what her much awaited child called her! I’m genuinely shocked at the selfish comments on here. Your DC will be here in 15/20 years posting about their odd controlling mother.

Only ONE person suggested ignoring the child for using “Mum”! And it was not the OP.

@HaveringWavering there have been a few that have said they do

I wouldn’t worry - my nephew called my sister Elvis for a period when he was young 😂

@HerMammy

Those trying to say it’s sweet, hold on to it, waited years to be called mummy etc seem to miss the point; ignoring your child over a name is nasty and abusive, after a long wait is mummy or mum really that big a deal? I know my sister couldn’t care less what her much awaited child called her! I’m genuinely shocked at the selfish comments on here. Your DC will be here in 15/20 years posting about their odd controlling mother.

I said that I liked Mummy after waiting a long time to have my child in response to a poster who said “what does it matter if your child calls you Angela”. My point was not Mummy vs Mum, Mom, Mammy, Mama, it was re using my given name vs a name that only my child can call me.

My comment about my preference for Mummy over the other Mum-type names was a separate thing, not related to the long wait for my son but related to wanting to preserve his childish sweetness as long as I can.

My own Mum hated being called Mum when we were small (50+ yrs ago). She always responded "yes, Chum!" in the same tone we had used. This drew our attention to the fact we had used the "wrong" word and knew we'd probably not get anywhere unless referred to her as Mummy. Obviously this stopped when we were teens.
Thinking about this though my younger brother went through a phase of calling Dad by his name. His argument was DB was called by his name so why not Dad. As he had a reasoned argument and wasn't just being cheeky, Dad agreed. DB soon grew out of it though.

@TheFormidableMrsC

This is so weird

I couldn't agree more. I can't believe this is a real concern/problem. I can't even remember my children calling me mummy? Only Mum? Far out, if you're in a flap about this the next 20 years of mothering are going to be very trying for you. Does it really matter? First sign of independent thought from your child and you're not coping?

I'm nearly 40 and still call my mummy mummy. The majority of people I know use mummy and daddy, not mum or dad. It's not a class thing where I live (Ireland) and using 'mum' would actually be considered more pretentious.

@whistlers I agree with you. He's very little, and Mummy is lovely. All you can do is correct him every time.

If I met a man and he called his mum 'Mummy' at the big age of 30, I would RUN AWAY. Suggests he hasn't really grown up.

I would run from a man I was dating if I discovered he called his mum “mummy”

It's like people who say stuff like this have never met anyone from different places.

Mummy and Mammy both common in adults in various places.

Regional variation yo.

By the time he's a teenager you'll answer to all sorts. Mine currently alternates between 'Mother' and 'El Mumorino'

My nephew is 25 and calls his mother Mummy - we all did in my family! Nothing wrong in using either name -

"Mums the word" old saying, !

DS now calls me “Woman!”

Could be worse. DS calls me Mawbags.

@MindyStClaire

If I met a man and he called his mum 'Mummy' at the big age of 30, I would RUN AWAY. Suggests he hasn't really grown up.

I would run from a man I was dating if I discovered he called his mum “mummy”

It's like people who say stuff like this have never met anyone from different places.

Mummy and Mammy both common in adults in various places.

Regional variation yo.

That's interesting, whereabouts? I know people who use Mam/Mammy (I have family & friends in Middlesborough) but Mammy is v definitely just for children among the people I know!

If that's the case obviously it'd be different - I'm talking about a grown man using the 'infantile' version of the word somewhere where it's not usual. Obviously if it was just what the vast majority of adults called their parents in that area then that'd be my issue, not theirs!

@dementedma 😂😂