When did you make the transition from "Mommy/Daddy" to "Mom/Dad"?

[lorimay]

I just started noticing my grandkids 9 & 7 calling there parents Mom & Dad, I was so sad because it made me realize how quickly they are growing up.
When I talk to them about their parents, I always refer to them as Mommy & Daddy.

 

[Magpie]

Hmm...

My mother never let me call her "Mommy". She doesn't like that word (something about that y-ending diminishing or infantilizing her...?), and so she taught me to call her "Mama". I guess if she HAD to be referred to as a mother, she wanted something that sounded more dignified (to her). I started calling her "Mom" in later elementary, but she doesn't seem to have noticed. In fact, when she's relating something I've said to her, even today, she'll start off with, "My daughter said, 'Mama, etc..." I don't call her that any more, but she apparently thinks I do.

Personally, I have no particular preference, but my kids used "Mom" and "Dad" pretty much from the start. I think there might've been a brief period of early toddlerhood when it was more like, "Mama" and "Dada" but that was before they could talk well.

To me, it's not a matter of growing up quickly or not. And I don't see any particular significance to the choice of word. You have to call your parents something!

I like being "Mom" to my kids.

Side note: My mother also refuses to refer to me by my actual name. See, when I was born she wanted to name me a common nickname, but felt she couldn't actually name me that. So she gave me my real name and then set about calling me by that nickname. Unfortunately, she failed to fill everyone in on her plan when I started school, and, having learned my real name, I quickly decided I preferred it and would go by it. She's now the only person in the world who insists on calling me by that nickname. Hilariously, when my son was born, I decided to name him a different common nickname. My mother said, "You can't officially name him that! That's a nickname! You have to give him a proper name and then everyone will call him by the nickname." I just looked at her and said, "And how did that work out for you?"

 

[Magpie]

Lol....I am usually good at catching zombie post but missed this one.

That's because it's a fun, interesting topic with no expiration date.

The zombie threads that are problematic are the ones which start with someone seeking advice, such as, "My daughter is being bullied! Help!" Well, that was 12 years ago. Hopefully, her daughter has resolved her social difficulties and moved on to happier times.

 

[Pugsly]

I’ll play along.

I have a vague recollection of calling my mom, Mama. I’m not sure when I made the transition. Dad has always been Dad

DS still calls me Mama (he’s 29). But he also calls me Mom.

Interesting side note: my step-daughter and son in law want their children to call them Eema and Abba (Hebrew for mommy and daddy). Their 2-year old started calling them Mommy and Daddy - likely because that’s what she’s hearing at daycare. Just goes to show that peer influence does play a role.

 

[RedAngie]

I really don't remember what I called my parents when I was very young, but by the time I went to school I addressed them as Mom and Dad. However, when talking with one about the other, it was always Mommy and Daddy, throughout their entire lives.

Mom, that's not fair!!! Why can't I go to the concert? Daddy said I could.

Hey Dad, Mommy says it's time to get your lazy butt off the sofa and go mow the lawn.

 

[22Tink]

I can't remember when I made the transition myself but my DD9 still calls us Mommy and Daddy most of the time.

 

[cgracek8]

I am in 5th grade, almost ELEVEN, and it's hard to call my parents mom and dad, so I still call them Mommy and Daddy. I would really like to transition, because my mom told me "I prefer mommy." I don't know what to do now, because I really like to start calling them mom and dad. I have been mumbling "Mom" and "Dad" for a few weeks, but tomorrow or so, I am going to say "mom" and "Dad" out loud, even though I am sure there will be an awkward silence. Any advice?

 

[AustinTink]

Mama and Daddy are very common terms here in the South. My son still calls me "Mama" and calls his Dad "Hey You".

 

[L&Lfan]

Another Southerner here who called his parents Mama and Daddy until the day they died. However, to others I referred to them as my Mom and Dad.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I don't remember making the switch but will sometimes still call them mommy and daddy (my mom complimented my cross stitch on FB and I replied "thanks mommy" this week for instance). I do find it slightly weird when parents only call each other "mom" and "dad" even when all the kids are grown... but maybe that's me.

 

[cjbcam]

I don’t ever remember calling my parents mommy and daddy. Now I call them mother and papa because my mom never answers unless I call her mother she always thinks it’s one of her grandchildren calling their moms. My dad became papa once he became a grandpa. I also sometimes call by their names.
My kids 8,11,14, and 16 have never called us mommy and daddy. Unless of course they want something then it’s daddy. My oldest sometimes calls me Ma because I always bug her about being so country like (hunting and fishing etc) and she thinks it sounds countryish.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

My 3.5-year-old usually still calls me Mommy, but at least once a day he breaks out an exasperated, teenager-y "MO-OM!". Complete with eye roll. The sass is starting early with this one

 

[lynxstch]

This post is 15 years old! How are brand new posters finding posts that old to respond to and bump?

 

[gemini2727]

This post is 15 years old! How are brand new posters finding posts that old to respond to and bump?

They're googling I think.
I tried searching "when did you stop calling parents mommy and daddy" and this Dis post was the fifth result.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Wow didn't realize this was so old.

 

[Music City Mama]

Mama and Daddy are very common terms here in the South. My son still calls me "Mama" and calls his Dad "Hey You".

Both boys (16 and almost 12) still call us Mama and Daddy in private. In public, they don't really call us anything. When referring to us to their friends, we're "my mom" or "my dad". However, just this weekend DS 16 said that if we're all having a conversation in public, like at a restaurant, I shouldn't say, for example, "Daddy told me the other day that...", I should "Dad told me the other day that...". That's really hard for me because we've never been Dad/Mom, so I think we decided that I'll just say, "<Daddy's first name> told me the other day...". He did say that he doesn't care if DH still says, "Mama told me the other day..." so, I don't have to go by Mom or my first name, LOL.

I remember a few years ago when older DS was around 12, he asked whether he should transition and I said whatever he wanted to do. But he never did try to transition, so I can't imagine it will ever change at this point. Like others have said, I think this is kind of common in the south.

 

[star72232]

I don't remember calling my parents Mommy or Daddy, although I imagine I did. My kids have all switched now, and all did some time around the time they started school? I know that my youngest will very occasionally still call me mommy (he's 6).

Oddly, I pronounce it Mum (but spell it Mom - thanks Canada). My older kids all pronounce it Mom, but my youngest pronounces it Mum. He switches between Mom and Mum for spelling. I have a very strong preference for the Mum pronunciation, and always use it, but somehow my older 3 never picked it up.

Zombie thread - when will I learn...

 

[Goodguy66]

Right now I would like my mom to not be talking to me and to stay out of my room and stop saying about bugs that don't even exist and no longer be saying my name and no longer tell me where she's going and no longer call me on my cellphone.

 

[Wendy1985]

I don’t remember but I still say mommy when I answer the phone and no one is around

 

[EMom]

I’m in Texas. We never transition to Dad. It’s Daddy forever. I don’t want to ever transition to Mom. I’m still peeved that DD stopped calling me “Mama” when she went to preschool and the other kids said Mommy.