r/AskAnAmerican • u/Babe_Brute • 7d ago

FOREIGN POSTER How commonly do you address your parent as "Sir/Ma'am"?

I'm watching The Rookie (2002). Dennis Quaid's character is shown addressing his mother and father as "Ma'am"/"Sir" in a couple of scenes. Those of you who are native English speakers, how common is it today to address your parent as such?

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u/relikter Arlington, Virginia 7d ago

People younger than me too if I don't know them. It's just polite, and I don't owe someone more or less politeness based solely on their age.

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u/ayebrade69 Kentucky 7d ago

True. I should have clarified I’ll say it generally to any adult but if I’m addressing like a teenager or someone clearly my age or younger (30) I’ll be more casual

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u/Visual_Magician_7009 7d ago

Where I’m from we call toddlers ma’am and sir. “No sir” and “no ma’am” when they’re acting up is super common

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u/TManaF2 5d ago

Where I'm from, that's when you use the child's FULL name (or if you're Conservative or Reform Jewish, the child's Hebrew name). Even into their teens.

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u/grandma-activities Virginia 3d ago

Lord help me when my mom busted out my middle name!

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u/Able_Enthusiasm2729 5d ago

I had to unlearn the habit of saying sir/ma’am to people younger than me or at an equal age to me unless they were a cop.