Do you call your Dad 'sir'?

[Blue Velvet]

I was thinking about this this morning, remembering back to the school I used to go to when I was young where there were quite a few American kids... and almost all of them called their Dad 'Sir'.

Which I found quite weird at the time; it was the seventies, mind... Random thought for the day. :p

[Veritas&Equitas]

Hell no. I think my dad would think I was sick if I called him that :)

[sananda]

I was thinking about this this morning, remembering back to the school I used to go to when I was young where there were quite a few American kids... and almost all of them called their Dad 'Sir'.

Which I found quite weird at the time; it was the seventies, mind... Random thought for the day. :p

i called him by his first name. which was weird. when i hear children calling the parents by their first names it always sounds very odd to me because i expect to hear "mum" and "dad".

[adrianblaine]

I was born in the early 80's and have never called my dad sir. Just Dad.

[Blue Velvet]

I was born in the early sixties, so I would have been about 14 or so at the time. The American kids at this particular school would have come from families that some ties to the military, diplomacy and the electronics industry.

Anyway, I'm glad many of you think it's weird too. ;)

[mkrishnan]

Well, military, sure. I hear it from children (who are children now) in certain parts of the country more than others. Like in parts of the South, and perhaps parts of the Northeast....

[Veritas&Equitas]

I think calling your dad "sir" is recognizing him more as the "Commander-In-Chief" of the household, more of a traditional, antiquated role. So it makes sense that especially military families would keep this tradition.

It seems families that are more expressive with their feelings, more comfortable with each other and the like would not revert to using the name "sir." It may be "respectful," but seems too formal & robotic for people that are comfortable with expressing their emotions and feelings with all members of the household, regardless of their historic "role."

[jabrowntx]

Don't really remember using "sir" prior to my time in the military. I was born in the early '60s too.

I know that sir is supposed to be a form of respect, but it just sounds so suck-up and phony to me. I only used it when I was in the military because I had to. I don't use sir at all anymore nor do I like it when people call me sir.

[jessica.]

I never called my father sir but I call other people sir and ma'am all of the time. Just yesterday I was introduced to two people by their first names and while answering a question I said "yes sir, I have." He didn't mind it at all being in the Navy I presume he's accustomed to that, but everyone else kind of laughed. At the end of the night I thanked them and called them by their last name (Mr. and Mrs.) and that drew more laughter. It's just a thing. I call professors Dr. or Professor despite most of them correct me and say their first names. But no, I've never called my dad sir unless I was being a jerk and trying to piss him off.

[Nickygoat]

I was born in the early sixties, so I would have been about 14 or so at the time. The American kids at this particular school would have come from families that some ties to the military, diplomacy and the electronics industry.

Anyway, I'm glad many of you think it's weird too. ;)

I grew up in a military family and it was unheard of for a Brit kid to call their Dad sir. Didn't see it either when we lived in Australia.

I did see it in Yorkshire however. We lived near the "Golfballs" at Menwith Hill - run by the Yanks who were stationed near us. Even the guys whose dads weren't military (NSA primarily) called them Sir.

Well weird :p

[juanm]

I've never called them dad or mom. I call my mother by her name, and my father by a diminutive of his name, FWIW.

[philbeeney]

I call mine ye oldus gittus (the old git), which is swiftly followed by a "V" sign from him.

At no point would I call him sir. He'd think I was off my rocker.

[CanadaRAM]

Always Dad. Teachers were always Mr. or Mrs. or (as was just coming into vogue then, Ms.)

Would feel pretty funny calling my parents by their first names. I met a father of a childhood friend at the gym, and it was weird calling him "Dave" rather than "Mr. Jones".

On the other hand, I am comfortable going on a first name basis with clients almost immediately, if they offer theirs.

[bartelby]

I always think it's hilarious hearing American kids call their own dads "Sir".

I call my dad by his name. Always have done.

[2nyRiggz]

If my father ask a question I respond by saying "Yes sir, no sir" as old as I am I still do it....never called him sir right out the blue though.
I don't think I've ever called my father/mother by first name.

Bless

[devilot]

"Bah-bah" Chinese for "dad" I s'pose.

"Daddy" or "Bah-bee" if I want something. ;)

[Mord]

I call my father by his first name, it pisses him off but I do it anyway as it feels ~really~ weird to call him dad.

[BigPrince]

I generally call both my parents by there first name.

[iSaint]

When I was younger I said sir. My kids respond yes sir and yes ma'am to adults, at least they're supposed to.

I expect my students to respond yessir, but it rarely happens.

[LethalWolfe]

Army brat here.

I can't remember if I used "dad" or "sir" more as I just grew up being taught to use "sir" or "ma'am." I still use "sir", "ma'am" or "miss" a today when I'm talking w/people I don't know very well or when I'm in a "formal" situation. The first time I met my gf's dad he asked me a question (like "how was the flight" or something) and I ended my response w/"sir" and that got a laugh out of the whole car.:o

Better to be seen as polite rather than rude, IMO.


Lethal

[decksnap]

I always think it's hilarious hearing American kids call their own dads "Sir".

Those people are certainly a slim niche minority (and probably military, where the dad just likes being called sir). 90% of Americans call their parents 'mom' and 'dad'.

[Dagless]

We're not a military family, so no.

He's dad in conversation, 'Father' on my phone (I try to make it sound posh so if I lose my phone then they might think I'd pay a hefty reward if found!).

I call my mum and my grandad by their Polish names, and used to call my great-grandma by her Welsh name. Nine, or something.

[joepunk]

If I did call my dad 'sir' he would start wondering what/whom in Florida started to corrupt my mind.

I have been called sir on the phone and by gate people at the theme parks which always gets me in a weird way.

I would never have any child call me sir.

[IJ Reilly]

Only after his knighthood. Before that, he was just dear ol' Dad.

[technicolor]

I cant ever imagine calling my parents by their first name. I used to call my father abu or baba. I call my mother mom or mommy. I say yes sir and no sir to other people older than me.

[4JNA]

Do you call you Dad 'sir'?

prefer a****** or idiot at the moment. long story.

on the brighter side, i gave up 6 figures to stay home and take care of my two boys to insure;

a. happy, smart, well adjusted boys who don't hang out on forums.

b. breaking the cycle, and giving my kids a better life than i had.

cheers.

[jialuolu]

Nah, but I use it to address all my male teachers though

[imac/cheese]

Only after his knighthood. Before that, he was just dear ol' Dad.

So, is he "Sir Dad" or just "Sir"?

[ghall]

No sir! ;)

I call him "dad". I don't think he's knighted, so there's no reason to call him sir anything.

[fistful]

I call mine "Dad" very rarely only because I see him very rarely.

I don't address my step-father with anything. That would be sign of respect and I don't respect him in the least. I talk to him as little as possible.

[Prof.]

Hell no. My dad doesn't deserve to be called "sir". (dirty rotten #@$^@*%)

Prof. :apple:

[Lyle]

When I was younger I said sir. My kids respond yes sir and yes ma'am to adults, at least they're supposed to.This sounds like my experience, too. I was raised to answer "Yes, sir" or "No, sir" (or "Yes, ma'am" and "No, ma'am") out of respect to my parents and other adults -- and that's how I'd raised my (as yet non-existent) kids

But outside of those kinds of exchanges, I called my parents Mom and Dad. As in, "Dad, can we go to the movies?" and not, "Please sir, may we go to the movies?" ;)

[DJMastaWes]

I find it weird calling my parents by their first names. I stick to mum & dad. and I would find it weird calling my dad "sir".

EDIT: 1000th, post. w00t!

[leekohler]

Sir? WTF? Never. Called him plenty of other things though. :)

[zwida]

Only ironically.

My dad's a philosphy prof, so I would call him Dr. and/or Sir when I felt like taking the piss out of him. I still call him Doctor Father (or doctor grandpa now that I have a daugter) on occassion.

[ErikCLDR]

I've never called anyone sir. I always thought it was stupid and so brown nosing.

[Zwhaler]

Never called my dad "sir"... he probably would have gave me a weird look if I did.

[bugaga]

never! crazy children ! ! !:eek::D

[arkitect]

I call my father by his first name; have done since I can remember.

Anycase, now that I am 43 (:eek:) it seems more apropriate. We've always been friends first — none of that "Yes, Sir!" stuff. Although I always thought that just happened in US movies? ;) :D

[zap2]

No....maybe as a joke...but never ever seriously

[Queso]

Just Dad here. I never call people "Sir" either, although I will use Señor and Signore in the relevant countries. Some nations just like formality more than others I suppose.

[Jaffa Cake]

If I called my dad 'sir' I'd never live it down.

The only people I've called 'sir' are teachers and knights of the realm.

[bartelby]

If I called my dad 'sir' I'd never live it down.

The only people I've called 'sir' are teachers and knights of the realm.

Ooh, you lie!

You're always calling the Mods 'Sir'!!!

[Queso]

Ooh, you lie!

You're always calling the Mods 'Sir'!!!
Well played Sir!! :D

[skunk]

Only after his knighthood. Before that, he was just dear ol' Dad.Even after his knighthood, mine was just "Papa".

[bartelby]

Even after his knighthood, mine was just "Papa".

There's a Sir Skunk Sr.?

I'm impressed, I always knew you were posh!:)

[Peterkro]

Even after his knighthood, mine was just "Papa".

He wasn't a doctor as well by any chance?

[skunk]

There's a Sir Skunk Sr.?Was. Died at the ripe old age of 93 a few years back.

[arkitect]

Even after his knighthood, mine was just "Papa".

Just a knighthood? I thought it was a coronation. ;)

[skunk]

He wasn't a doctor as well by any chance?Never been to Haiti, and I'm no baby. ;)

[Jaffa Cake]

Ooh, you lie!

You're always calling the Mods 'Sir'!!!Not true, I don't always – I call our lady Mods 'Ma'am'. So there. :p

[takao]

actually it wasn't even a point with since not all languages have an equal to sir or madam with the same usage ;)
i called and still call my parents "Mama" and "Papa"

for grand parents i add the first name for those on the father side

[kiwi-in-uk]

I call mine Dad (feels odd now that I'm over 50!).

I *should* call him Sir ... he made it to 95 this year and is aiming for the ton.

[richkent72]

Only after his knighthood. Before that, he was just dear ol' Dad.

I was going to say the same but I was beaten to it.

[iRachel]

Sir only if I'm being snarky. 99% percent of the time it's Dad.

[yg17]

Never, my dad would think something was wrong with me if I did. I just call him dad. Or, "daddy" in the high pitched, sweet little child voice if I want something :D

Of course, I can call my parents anything (as a joke of course) and they don't care, we're all laid back :D

[xsedrinam]

Always "dad". Mine call me daddy (daughter) and pops (son).

[LizKat]

We called our parents Mom and Dad. It was unthinkable to call them by their first names. I mean it literally never occurred to me until I heard a college classmate call her mother Julie to her face. And we had to tack in a Sir or Ma'am when speaking to people of older generations.

We also got slammed (verbally) big time for just saying "Yeah" or "OK".

This veneer of so-called civilization did not prevent us kids from finding plenty of other ways to tick off or disappoint our parents, I have to say! :o

[Virgil-TB2]

I was born in the early sixties, so I would have been about 14 or so at the time. The American kids at this particular school would have come from families that some ties to the military, diplomacy and the electronics industry.

Anyway, I'm glad many of you think it's weird too. ;)I was born around the same time, but being English, I never heard the term used until I started watching TV in the 70's in North America. I think it must be an old-fashioned USA tradition as all the old B&W TV shows like Dick VanDyke and Leave it to Beaver had the kids calling their Dad "Sir" but none of the English shows from the same period did.

I remember wondering at the time why "Mom" never got the same treatment. Was she not deserving of the same respect as dear old Dad?
Patriarchy at it's height I suppose. :)

On the other hand, it's probably better to be loved than feared, so maybe Mom had it best after all.

[twistedlegato]

Baba, has been always and forever.

It is Farsi by the way. I have realized most Asian languages have the "Bah" in the word dad.

[twoodcc]

nope just "dad". he doesn't deserve "Sir"

[synth3tik]

I think when I was around 24 or so I started calling my old man sir. Don't know why I started, I guess maybe after I got out of that stupid teen phase and hashed out my relationship with him I gained more respect for him. See, he did not drive me out to the desert and make me dig a hole, if you know what I mean.:eek:

[Piarco]

Still "Mum & Dad" for me... although my younger brother has irritatingly started calling our parents by their first names. No idea why, just presume its some sort of effort in his mind that now he's and adult with a mortgage/wife that he can do. It's just plain wrong in my eyes, the little weirdo!

[shu82]

I address him as "Dad"

I respond to him as "Sir"

Like, "Son", exclaimed the father. "Yes, sir", responded the son.
But, I would begin with "Dad, are we going to ____ today"

Thats the way it was with all the boys I grew up with as well.
Mom got the same treatment. (with Ma'am)

[Queso]

Still "Mum & Dad" for me... although my younger brother has irritatingly started calling our parents by their first names. No idea why, just presume its some sort of effort in his mind that now he's and adult with a mortgage/wife that he can do. It's just plain wrong in my eyes, the little weirdo!
It might just be because his wife does it and he doesn't want her to feel awkward in any way.

[psychofreak]

Dad and only Dad...Sir is for teachers I'm scared of :p

[ErikCLDR]

Yes, I call my dad "sir".

I also use terms such as...

"Gee"

"Gee <person's name here>"

"Golly Gee!"

"Gee, isn't it Swell"

"Why I oughta...." (out of anger)

"Say!" (as an exclamation)

"Why <persons name here>" (in astonishment)

and

"So long"

[crazycat]

I personally call my dad sir all the time, i cancel important things when he needs me all the time, i also do so for my mom and older brothers. I am very close to my family and i am very lucky for that, i think thats what makes us stronger as a family.

[Cromulent]

I never understood this calling people 'Sir' thing. I've never ever heard anyone in England call their parents Sir or Ma'am unless they were taking the piss.

The only time I ever said Sir or Ma'am was when I was at school and I couldn't remember the teachers name.

[njmac]

I don't call my dad sir but I do think its cute to hear the little southern kids saying sir and ma'am to adults. It just sounds so polite coming from them but so snarky when coming from a Yankee.

When my kids are playing sometimes they'll say in a very proper voice something like "would you like a chocolate ma'am" like they think service people say sir or ma'am.

[Iscariot]

I'm shocked I haven't said something clever in this thread yet.

[ErikCLDR]

Ok so I have these epiphanies every once and a while that are obvious to everyone but me.

Monday during Pre-Calc class I realized that Ma'am is an abbreviation for Madam. I kinda freaked out.

Yea, I don't use the word ma'am either 1) because it's spelled obscurely (and now I know why) and 2) southern people say it :p

[kainjow]

I never understood this calling people 'Sir' thing. I've never ever heard anyone in England call their parents Sir or Ma'am unless they were taking the piss.

The only time I ever said Sir or Ma'am was when I was at school and I couldn't remember the teachers name.

I think here in the US we use sir and ma'am more with strangers, especially in situations when a customer is talking with an employee.

At least I used it all the time when I worked retail a few years back. It seems natural to me. Even today I called a random stranger ma'am :)

I did read somewhere that supposedly people think ma'am is rude, and they prefer "mis". IMO I think "mis" is rude. Sounds snippy to me.

But I do not call my dad sir. I just use dad. I don't know anyone who uses sir to refer to their dad.

[Jhwi90]

I sometimes call my father 'sir' and I see nothing wrong it.
It is respectful and shows that I respect him.
Usually when I call him 'sir' is when I have dissappointed him and feel really bad for it, and usually thats when he expects a 'sir' from me which is fair enough,but sometimes I call my father 'sir' just because I want to like the other day I was doing the dishes and he said , 'Lily could you set the table?' and I said ' yes,sir' simply because I felt like showing him that respect.I didnt feel forced or felt like I would make him angry if I didnt call him 'sir', I said it because I wanted to.
There is however a fine line between saying 'sir' sometimes and saying 'sir' on every sentence,for people who feel they must call their fathers 'sir' on practically every sentence indicates that the relationship between them isnt very good.
But really at the end of the day to address your father as 'sir' is a nice thing to do, it isnt weird and is alot more respectful than saying just 'dad', and believe it or not there are some people out there who not only agree it is respectful but who actually LIKE calling their fathers 'sir', because they love them and sometimes they want to show that by saying 'sir' :)

[toolbox]

No i call mine dad, and my other grandparents either nanna or pop.

If i serve a elderly man at work i will call him Sir if i don't know the first name

[Dagless]

We're not a military family and my dad is a happy friendly fella so 'sir's out the question. Maybe if I wanted to make him laugh. I respect him and we have a good relationship but its out of the question.

Oh wait this is a very old thread. Why was it brought up again?

[robbieduncan]

No. Not ever.

[skunk]

It's a peculiarly American habit. Nobody over here has called their father "Sir" since the nineteenth century. I called mine Pa(pa).

[Melrose]

I call my father by his first name. Alway have. He's never been Dad or Daddy..

[ToddW]

i don't expect to be called sir by my kid, but dad is fine. However, there are times that I expect sir. Such as when I ask my kid to do something, I expect a yes sir and to answer yes sir and no sir as well as yes ma'am and no ma'am. I think kids are missing this nowadays.

[ikermalli]

No, never. I call him, Dad, Pops, Papa, and sometimes when we joke around we call eachother names.

I would never call my dad by his first name, he told me how much he dislikes it when my cousin calls his parents by their first names.

[nick9191]

I have called my dad sir a couple of times, as in:

You sir, are a twat.

Edit: should clarify here that my dad is awesome.

[it5five]

I have never called my dad "sir", always "dad". I will never make any child call me "sir".

[dukebound85]

i still refer to my parents as mom and dad. i never use their names. same with my grandparents


one of my best friends growing up always did the yes sir, no sir and yes ma'am no ma'am with his parents. granted his dad was in the air force

[fireshot91]

I call my dad either Dad, Papa, father, or "Parental Unit" sometimes as a joke. :P.

Call my mom either mom, mother, madre, or "Parental Unit" as a joke again.

I would get my rear behind kicked if I called him by his first name. I mean, he doesn't mind when somebody is asking his name, and I respond to them, but to call him directly....*hides*

[d wade]

my little brother has been calling my dad by his first name for as long as i can remember. it's hilarious

[ucfgrad93]

i still refer to my parents as mom and dad. i never use their names. same with my grandparents

Same here. For me, it seems disrespectful to call them by their first names. I would say "yes, sir" or "no, sir" at certain times, especially when I was in trouble.

[Rt&Dzine]

Sometimes I called him "Pappy" for fun. If you had known him, you would understand the humor. "Sir" would have been funny too.

[Dagless]

Sometimes I call my mum by either one of her Polish names (-ania or -cha) as a joke. Grandparents get the same treatment if I'm in a daft mood.

Never called my girlfriends parents mum/dad and don't think I will. Maybe its just around here but partners parents go by their first name.

[shivermetimbers]

I call my dad......."Dad". I have been in the Air Force for almost 18 years and still trucking. I do NOT make my kids call me sir. However, I do know of, some guys in the military (all branches) that are "ultra" chewed up that make their kids call them sir. While it does denote respect, its kind of disconnected if used by family members. Thats my opinion at least.

[414BrewCrew414]

i call my pops sir when i wanna be a smart ass hahah

[Marble]

First name for both my parents.

[Melrose]

Once in a while I'll call my dad "Rocky" - a rip from the Rockford Files which we watch on Netflix every so often. And then only when we're kidding around.

[Reventon]

No, he's just "dad". Always has, and probably always will be. It'd be weird calling him "sir" and I don't know anyone who ever called their dads "sir" either. The only people I called "sir" were my teachers in school I didn't know the names of, police officers, and some of my earlier bosses when I first started working. (I don't call my bosses "sir" or "ma'am" anymore either).

[Love]

Very rarely, but occasionally I address him sir.

[mysterytramp]

Usually it was Dad and Mom, but I called my father "sir" and my mother "ma'am." I never saw it as anything near authoritarian, just a way to show respect. (I was born 1960, so the bulk of this would have been the 70's.)

My kids, on occasion, have picked up that a well-timed "sir" to me or a "ma'am" to their mother will help reduce the trouble they're in, but by and large, we're Mom and Dad, too.

mt

[dmr727]

Always just Dad. I think he'd be offended if I called him 'sir'.

[steve2112]

I did when I was a kid. As I got into teenage years, I eased off of it a bit, although I did use it when circumstances called for it. This was usually after I had screwed up. :)

To me, it goes with another thread I just saw on here where someone asked about calling teachers Mr/Ms and their last name. It's respect, pure and simple. I dunno, maybe it's just a Southern thing.

Sadly, I never got to find out how things would be different as an adult, since my dad passed away when I was 18. With my mother, I dropped the ma'am as I hit the teenage years. I don't really do it with my stepfather, but then again, I was 30 when he married my mother.

[poopyhead]

I grew up calling my dad daddy. When he started talking to me again after 2 years of denying my existence I started calling him sir.
It connotes respect while dismissing familial ties.

[Gelfin]

Wow, old thread.

People who hear this seem to misunderstand it greatly. I don't know of anyone in the US who calls his father "Sir" as a substitute for "Dad," in the sense that you might say, "Good morning, Sir." That would indeed be weird. Creepy weird.

In some parts of the country it is purely considered good manners for younger people to say "yes sir" and "yes ma'am" to their elders (not just parents), or just to someone they're trying to treat respectfully. It's like saying "please" when asking for something. The idea some people get that this is some sort of militaristic thing is just bizarre.

It isn't even universal in the United States. My brother in law (from upstate New York, and a military man) has that same feeling that it's weird. I grew up with it, so to me it just sounds like an ordinary bit of politeness.

[Iscariot]

Wow, old thread.

You're old. Old-face. Old-o. Oldie Hawn. Oldie McOlderson. Han Oldo. Oldiana Jones and the Temple of Old. Bail Oldana. Oldie Wan Kenoldie.

…

Most of my friends with whom I went to grade school tend to use sir when speaking to each other or most anyone in or above our age demographic. We were a pretty isolated bunch, so I think for the most part we took up being polite as a barrier against teeing off the few people who could stand us.

[Jhwi90]

My dad is a teacher and he happens to be one of mine at school. That's when I have to say 'sir'. It is one of his rules, there is no way I can call him dad or daddy in front of other students.And I can't exactly call him Mr.------- ( I'm not giving out my surname sorry ^-^) cus that would be weird,it just doesn't sound right. Anyway, people who call their fathers 'sir' don't feel embarrassed, remember its nice and respectful and the people who are totally againsnt it are pretty much the ones who have no respect for authority.

[Dagless]

Anyway, people who call their fathers 'sir' don't feel embarrassed, remember its nice and respectful and the people who are totally againsnt it are pretty much the ones who have no respect for authority.

You couldn't be further from the truth.
I don't call my dad that because as well as him being a father, he's a friend. There was discipline in my childhood and I respect the hell out of my dad for everything he's done so far in his life, I wish I could be half the man he is really. But he's dad, or pops, and if anyone calls him by his shortened first name I quickly add on the ending :o.
He's a college tutor so people call him by his first name. In the UK at least the formal methods are dropped once you hit college. Even at university we were told to call tutors, lecturers all by their first name.

[xUKHCx]

In the UK at least the formal methods are dropped once you hit college. Even at university we were told to call tutors, lecturers all by their first name.

Not my experience I was only calling tutors by their first name in my masters year and the same thing happened at the Universities of my friends.

[Tomorrow]

My son is 4 years old, and while we don't specifically address each other as "sir," we do say things like, "Yes, sir" or "No, sir" to each other.

[leekohler]

Nope- never have. I just called him Dad.

[MotleyPete]

I call him Dad, because he's my dad.

[DakotaGuy]

I just call my Dad "Dad" and have my whole life. Same with my Mom. As a teacher I will have students call me "Sir" from time to time, but generally most refer to me as Mr. P______. I have been called "Dad" by a student or two on accident which is sort of funny.

[thunderweb]

Calling my Dad sir would just be weird... I guess it kinda depends on how close you are with your Dad though...

[Jhwi90]

I'm sorry but I won't appolagize for what I stated earlier, I believe I am not further from the truth, I'm very close to it actually. It is your opinion and your entitled to it, and it isnt at all affecting me. I find it quite humerous really.
Fair enough I'm not saying everyone should start calling their dads 'sir', that is a bit crazy, but it very much seems to me the people who are agaisnt it and poke fun of people like me claiming it is weird and is a 'southern american/military' thing are the ones who dont have much respect for anybody. There are a number of people on here who do make fun of it, and it is wrong, because it is encouraging others to make fun of authority. To use the word 'sir' may sound peculiar to some, but there is a little thing called keeping that little bit of rubbish in your head to your self, and not laughing at people who try to respect authority and yes, show that respect by addressing their fathers as 'sir' because it is respect, and it shouldnt be made fun of and sneered at.
We are all entitled to having an opinion, within reason, but to tell me that I couldnt be further from the truth is ridiculous.
I don't care what you think of me or the response you may give me let alone anybody else who would like to fill me in on what they think of my words to be honest because I know I'm being truthful and am in the right, I just thought I should let you know how wrong you are.
Thank you, and hopefully you have learnt something. Take care:)

[Dagless]

I'm sorry but I won't appolagize for what I stated earlier, I believe I am not further from the truth, I'm very close to it actually. It is your opinion and your entitled to it, and it isnt at all affecting me. I find it quite humerous really.
Nope you read that completely wrong, do you understand that when I quote something and then reply to it means I'm only responding to that quoted passage? Your specific opinion here-
Anyway, people who call their fathers 'sir' don't feel embarrassed, remember its nice and respectful and the people who are totally againsnt it are pretty much the ones who have no respect for authority.
Is total utter BS. As I said I have more respect for my father than you can possibly imagine. He was brought up in poverty, married young (19), became a marathon runner and travelled the world doing so, worked insanely hard at his job and did so well my mother didn't need to work and brought us up in a big house built just for us, and has funded the initial parts of career and university education, always stuck beside my mother and never once abandoned his kids even when they really ***ked up.
And if you think I honestly don't respect him for not calling him sir with only knowing fractions of my life.
Authority in general I have respect for. I graduated from school 7 years ago now but I still call my teachers, even knowing their full names, sir or miss. I just don't see why sir has any connection to respect and if it annoys someone that I don't use it, then I lose respect for them. It's self correcting like that.

Thank you, and hopefully you have learnt something. Take care:)
God almighty! Where do you get off on this?

[MotleyPete]

Calling your mother sir, now that would be weird.

[Jaffa Cake]

Calling your mother sir, now that would be weird.Not if you respect her. Apparently.

[peskaa]

Nope, he's simply "dad".

However, mum is now called "mother" as she winds me up and I find it an excellent term to annoy her with. When I was younger it was "mum".


At university (UK) we had first-name relationships with our tutors, even extending to nicknames. For my Masters, again, everything is first names.

[EX1127]

I kinda of switch between what him sir is usually for when im in some sort of trouble being usually after yes or no. My dad is military and we are from the south of US. But when im trying to get his attention i call him whatever gets his attention going from dad, hugh, baldie :D and so on...

[MacNut]

I have been known to call my dad names but Sir is not one of them.

[kdum8]

I was always under the impression that it was a very American thing to do. In the UK it would sound very strange. I wouldn't even call a cop Sir in Britain. I would expect him to call me Sir though. The police are there to serve us, not the other way around which is how I often feel in the US with power crazy country cops.

[obeygiant]

You're old. Old-face. Old-o. Oldie Hawn. Oldie McOlderson. Han Oldo. Oldiana Jones and the Temple of Old. Bail Oldana. Oldie Wan Kenoldie.


Keith Oldermann, Bill Old'reilly, Lou Olds, Anne C-old-ter, Darth Older,

[avincent52]

No, never called my dad "sir" and my kid's wouldn't think of calling me "sir" except as a joke.
That said, I've gotten used to being called sir at nice hotels and restaurants and shops. Sadly I don't think my father did, and he was much more worthy.

Never knew what to call my in-laws until the kids were born, and now I've defaulted to Nana and Papa, the kid's names for them. Makes life easier, if not easy.
My brother-in-law called my parents Mom and Dad and really meant it.

The one time I did call someone "Sir" half seriously? I interviewed Sir Jackie Stewart, the race car driver who has been knighted and is regularly referred to as Sir Jackie.

[daneoni]

Yup...to this day

[Iscariot]

Keith Oldermann, Bill Old'reilly, Lou Olds, Anne C-old-ter, Darth Older,

Oldimus Prime, GI Old, Barack Oldama, Penn and Older, Staff Sergeant Max Fightmaster

[themoonisdown09]

Nope, I call my dad, "dad".

[JuanGuapo]

Never called him sir, growing up or otherwise. "Dad" or "Pop" only.

[alphaod]

No sire! I don't speaking English at home. :p

[Pixellated]

My dad is 'dad', and my mum is 'mum'.

[bobfitz14]

Well, military, sure. I hear it from children (who are children now) in certain parts of the country more than others. Like in parts of the South, and perhaps parts of the Northeast....

growing up as a teenager now, born in early 1990s, and living in New England i can't say it is rather common that i or my friends call their Dads 'sir.' but that might have been common ten or so years ago but i can't comment on that:p

[dXTC]

90% of the time, I call my father "Dad."
The other 10%, I do use "Sir", usually following "Yes." He doesn't seem to mind, his having served in the Army and National Guard and all.

I would never call my dad by his name, because it's my name, too. He's Sr., and I'm Jr. It would seem really awkward to me.

[eleven2brett]

I do when he's angry at me or when i feel like joking around.

[Shotglass]

Me and my brother address our dad as "dude". Doesn't make him any cooler, but we can't be arsed to be respectful.

[.Andy]

Me and my brother address our dad as "dude". Doesn't make him any cooler, but we can't be arsed to be respectful.
You just reminded me of this song. And in fact it's even better than I remembered :).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEr8SYqTc3s

[Blue Velvet]

Oh wait this is a very old thread. Why was it brought up again?


I have no idea. A random brain-fart of mine almost two years ago zombie-stalks the forums. The things that people dig up from god only knows where.

If I go back to the the first post and think about the time and the place where I went to school, and what industries these families were in in the mid-1970s, then perhaps it's a regional and generational thing. It just seemed oddly old-fashioned at the time to kids who weren't from the US.

[skunk]

My children have both addressed me as "Dadman". I rather like it. Perhaps I should buy a cape.

[Blue Velvet]

Perhaps I should buy a cape.


A strip of land on the coast? Sure. We can all come visit and make sandcastles... Dadman. :)

I like it. Suits you... sir. ;)

[Rt&Dzine]

A strip of land on the coast? Sure. We can all come visit and make sandcastles... Dadman. :)

Cape Dadman—best sandcastles in the world!

(I hear that a cape costs less than an isthmus and is easier to pronounce.)

[skunk]

(I hear that a cape costs less than an isthmus and is easier to pronounce.)Especially if you have a lithp...

[NC MacGuy]

Since the question is framed in the present tense, I call my Dad dead.

[JXE]

No, but I don't ever address him by his first name, and I have nothing agaisn't it.

[leekohler]

No, I called him "dad". I still do.

[Zwhaler]

Wow old thread... that I responded to 4.5 years ago

[daneoni]

Yup.

[likemyorbs]

I never call my dad sir. That's just odd. I think it's a southern thing.

[iJohnHenry]

Nope, never in his lifetime.

How about the other side, do your kids call you Sir.

No kids, but my eldest nephew calls me Sir.

Somewhat jarring. :(

[iStudentUK]

I've never known of anyone who calls their dad 'sir'. Maybe in films (Dead Poet's Society?) but not IRL. Sounds really strange.

[MSM Hobbes]

When he was alive, I would use pops, poppa, dad, and sir. BTW, it would have been interesting if the OP would have had a poll [4.5 years ago! ;)], and done such by regions of the respondents' country… maybe using sir is more of a US and then a more prevalent in the south / midwest. LOL, my boss's boss gets irked at me when I call him sir. Nevertheless, the way I was raised [and how my sons were both raised] the word 'sir' is a sign of respect / admiration, for elders, strangers, and those above you in an organization. Vast majority of the time my boys call me dad.

[maril1111]

Nope never have and probably never will i call him "Dad"

[Happybunny]

No.

I was born in 1947, and even back then in Europe the idea that you would call your own father sir, seems so stupid.

[Shrink]

Nope, I called my father "dad".

Unfortunately, he died at the age I am now. So I don't get to talk to him much any more.

A suggestion...aside from calling him whatever you call him, make sure "I love you" gets said, too.:)

[whoathere]

A suggestion...aside from calling him whatever you call him, make sure "I love you" gets said, too.:)

Agreed.

I call him Dad.

[NathanMuir]

Never to my Dad (or ma'am for my mother for what it's worth). Though I was raised to, and still do, refer to any man around my parents age as 'Sir'. Interestingly, I usually always say 'Ma'am' regardless of age (except around friends/ certain social situations. I'm going to hit on a girl at the bar by starting out 'Ma'am...' :p ).

[Tilpots]

I call him my Dad. My daughter calls me Dad or Papa.

[Hastings101]

That is weird, I've always used dad. I've never heard anyone call their dad "sir" outside of films.

[renewed]

Dad. However if he asks me a yes or no question I better not be caught saying yeah or naw. It's yes, sir. No, sir.

[lewis82]

I've always called my parents mom and dad. What I find weird is some of my friends calling them by their name. It just seems weird. :confused: It happened that I called my mom by her name a few times and everytime she said :"Don't call me like that, there are only four people in the world that can call me mom, and they are my children.".

[Thomas Veil]

I always used to call my parents simply mom and dad.

I'm kind of surprised at how many call one or both parents by their first name. Is that because they're step-parents or adoptive parents, or something else?

Even on TV, the only character I ever remember referring to his father as "sir" was Will on Lost in Space.

[Queen of Spades]

My father is Dad most of the time, but I admit to calling him Daddy on occasion, as do my sisters. We rightfully get made fun of for it. ;)

[Scepticalscribe]

I have always called my parents Mum and Dad, as have my brothers, we never addressed him as 'sir'.

[likemyorbs]

Dad. However if he asks me a yes or no question I better not be caught saying yeah or naw. It's yes, sir. No, sir.

Wow, that's unusual to me. What part of the country are you in?

[wordoflife]

Hell no, my dad and I are cool.

My friend does it though. His dad was in the army or something and now works for customs ... idk?? but he does say "sir" all the time. I think it's weird as hell but the relationship between my friend and his dad is fine.

[Firestar]

Nope. He's dad to me.

[toolbox]

No i call him Dad

[Mr. McMac]

Never in my life. He's Dad

[Demosthenes X]

Not formally. I do use "Sir" quite frequently as a superlative... I think it comes from going to private school as a kid. Most teachers didn't care, but a few made a point of demanding high manners and it kind of stuck. So now I'll say "Thank you, Sir" to a friend, which is a bit silly, but whatever.

I normally just call my Dad "Dad", though. ;)

(On another topic, I got a good laugh about the "related threads" that pop up for this):

What do you call your iPhone or iPod?
What do you call your Mac?
What do you call your iPhone?
What do you call your Time Machine disk?
What do you call your iPod?

[zurichuk]

I call my dad 'dad' and my mum 'mum, except when my kids are present, when I could refer to them as grandad or nana for their benefit.

The only time I possibly would have called him 'sir' would have been a sarcastic 'yes, sir' in the response to a request in my younger days (as in yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full sir)

My kids call us mummy and daddy, or mami / papi depending on which language they are using at the time

[BreakGuy]

I call him 'dad'. Anything else feels uncomfortable.

[boss.king]

I call my parents by their names. People tell me its weird, but its just more natural than mom and dad to me.

[Melrose]

My father and I are on a first-name basis. We always have been, even when I was learning to talk. Mom is mom, dad is first name.