I have read a few posts about parents teaching their kids to say Yes Ma'am & Yes Sir and how they are teaching their children "the right way" by doing this. So, because I don't teach my children to say Yes Ma'am & Yes sir am I to assume (yes the assume word :giggle) that those people think I am raising my children wrong? We were never raised to say it and I don't know many people that were either. I don't think it has made me a rude or inconsiderate person in any way. I don't think it makes my kids rude or inconsiderate if they don't say Yes Ma'am or Yes Sir :dunno So, what are your thoughts? :D

what works for one family won't work for another.

we will teach our kids to say yes/no ma'am/sir because that's how we were raised

My ex husband is really big on the "yes ma'am" yes sir" thing....he has always taught our daughters to say that....

I always thought it was silly to MAKE them do it, so I never did :dunno

I was never raised that way.

what works for one family won't work for another.

we will teach our kids to say yes/no ma'am/sir because that's how we were raised

:agree

I believe that as long as the child is being raise to be respectful; that is the most important thing. I will proby have my son say the yes ma'am or yes mom. To me it is important he learns to repect his elders.

It is the same as having your child call their elders Mrs/Mr or Miss/Mr.

Also wanted to add, most of the time I did'nt say it to my parents, unless I was in trouble... but I said it to everyone else.

Coming from an old-school military family, we HAD to say yes ma'am and yes sir. I do think it shows more respect, personally. My children will be raised that way. They can't exactly talk yet, so the teaching will occur soon :) Generally speaking, the South and old-school military families (at least those that I know) say ma'am and sir. I guess it's just the way I was raised. :dunno

We were raised to call older adults sir and ma'am but not like all adults. (senior citizens really) I dont think someone would be rude just b/c they didnt say it.

I don't think it's right or wrong. I have my beliefs and others have theirs. The only thing I do EXPECT from others is that they respect my teaching to my children, as I would theirs. For ex, if you don't teach your kids yes ma'am or sir, I still teach mine that, or Mr. or Mrs. so and so. So I get frustrated when others tell my children, "Just call me Joe Schmo..." :banghead

I wouldn't expect your child to call me Sir or Ma'am if you didn't teach it, but would "prefer" a Ms. Joy. If it bothered someone that much, I'd just explain it to my kids why a child calls me Joy, instead of what I teach them.

I personally teach my kids to say it. I was raised that way and I think kids should say it. But I really don't think it is wrong ifa parent doesn't feel their kids should. To each their own.

We aren't doing the yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir no sir thing. If anyone thinks that means I'm parenting wrong...well so be it. It wouldn't be the first time anyone disagreed with a given aspect of my parenting.

what works for one family won't work for another.

we will teach our kids to say yes/no ma'am/sir because that's how we were raised

:yes for us the yes ma'am and sir goes right along with please and thank you. our elders (not just family but everyone in the county) taught us that respect is the key and for us in MO thats how we were raised. :dunno In fact yes ma'am was the first thing my youngest ever said.:hehe

I was never raised that way, but I was raised to respect my elders and my parents, etc. I don't think we'll make our kids say "sir" and "ma'am" but we'll see. They will be raised to know respect.

I think teaching respect has gone pretty much out the window....but that's my opinion (and verified pretty much at any given time at any mall in america).

What happened to holding the door open, saying excuse me, and saying "yes m'am and yes sir"? Is it that hard to teach? :dunno

My children where taught all of the above and more. No answering "yeah" in this house. Also when an elder is speaking you shut your trap, and look at them when they are speaking to you...and No rolling of the eyes.

I think if more parents would go back to "OLD SCHOOL" ways the world wouldn't be such a cold place.

Try walking down the street and saying "Hello!" ....most people won't even look you in the eye let alone return the greeting....Sad..very sad. :confuzzle

I find it to be respectful so my children will say it, but I don't think other children are heathens because they don't! I'm sure you raise your children to be respectful in some manner.

I would never teach my children to say it--it just seems odd to me because I wasn't raised to say it and I don't know anyone else who addressed grownups like that (I'm from the upper Midwest). To me, ma'am and sir are really only things you say when the person is a stranger and you don't have any other way to address them. If a child who I knew called me ma'am I would almost certainly ask them to use my name instead. To me, it just sounds very formal, and I have to admit I don't really get it!

If some people want to teach their kids to say it, that's fine. But if I had kids and they were looked at as disrespectful because they didn't, it would irk me. That's just not the way people do things around here.

I will teach my children to be polite and respectful, but I don't think that ma'am and sir are terribly important in our house. I will teach them to say "yes" instead of "what," or "huh." They will not tell adults "no," unless it is in response to a question. It just isn't something that comes naturally, and I don't think it is essential to being respectful and polite, at least for us.

We aren't doing the yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir no sir thing. If anyone thinks that means I'm parenting wrong...well so be it. It wouldn't be the first time anyone disagreed with a given aspect of my parenting.

Same here. I wasn't raised to say it on a regular basis, I guess just on more "formal" occassions, if you want to put it that way. :dunno If my kid not saying ma'am and sir makes me a bad parent, then I'm screwed :rofl

i want to say too that no i do not think that anyone who doesn't have their kids say yes/no ma'am/sir is rude or a bad parent, etc etc

i hope that came out clearly

As long as you teach your children to be polite, courteous and respectful of adults, that's all that matters.

Now, with that said, my husband and I have taught our kids to say Ma'am and Sir. That's what we believe, and to us, that is the proper way children should refer to their elders. I can't stand hearing a child say "Yea, sure, ya, nah, nope, etc.." Again, this is OUR belief and the way we chose to parent ;)

I don't think it's right or wrong. I have my beliefs and others have theirs. The only thing I do EXPECT from others is that they respect my teaching to my children, as I would theirs. For ex, if you don't teach your kids yes ma'am or sir, I still teach mine that, or Mr. or Mrs. so and so. So I get frustrated when others tell my children, "Just call me Joe Schmo..." :banghead

I wouldn't expect your child to call me Sir or Ma'am if you didn't teach it, but would "prefer" a Ms. Joy. If it bothered someone that much, I'd just explain it to my kids why a child calls me Joy, instead of what I teach them.

:agree

To each their own. My kids are taught to say "yes ma'am/sir" if they are conversing with strangers. If they are talking to someone they know it needs to Mrs. or Mr.

i dont think you or your children are rude!

shoot as long as a kid say please and thank you im good.

but however i have taught my son to say yes ma'am no ma'am and no sir and yes sir. but thats how i was raised!

as long as a child has manners of some sort like a please/thank you/or excuse me...were good!

I am teaching m kids the es ma'am/sir and that too & i was raised old school too

To each their own.. I think the sir and ma'am is a predominantly southern thing.. Just like if my daughter addresses someone by their first name she's been taught to say Mrs. or Mr. infront of it.

I don't think it's "wrong" as in I don't think it makes you a bad parent not to teach them that way.

The way I was brought up it's just a part of manners and common courtesy is all.

DH and I go back and forth because I expect to be called ma'am when I ask her to do something. It's not something that I'd ever punish her for not saying, but it's a respect thing. He grew up saying ma'am and sir, but not to his mother. She was mom.. I'm cool with that, but if Cam gets in trouble, I expect yes and no ma'am and sir as a sign that she understands what we're saying to her.

I don't think it's wrong for a parent not to raise their child like that...it's just how I would raised and it's how I would like mine to be.

I think teaching respect has gone pretty much out the window....but that's my opinion (and verified pretty much at any given time at any mall in america).

What happened to holding the door open, saying excuse me, and saying "yes m'am and yes sir"? Is it that hard to teach? :dunno

My children where taught all of the above and more. No answering "yeah" in this house. Also when an elder is speaking you shut your trap, and look at them when they are speaking to you...and No rolling of the eyes.

I think if more parents would go back to "OLD SCHOOL" ways the world wouldn't be such a cold place.

Try walking down the street and saying "Hello!" ....most people won't even look you in the eye let alone return the greeting....Sad..very sad. :confuzzle


See, but I wan't taught to say Yes Sir and Yes Ma'am....but I do have respect for people and I do hold doors and will go out of my way to help someone, I do say hello to people on the street and smile, I do return a greeting...just because I don't say yes sir or yes Ma'am does not mean that I don't have manners and just because I don't teach my kids to say it does not mean they won't be respectful or helpful.

I have raised my kids saying this and believe that is a sign of respect to adults. That being said, not everyone sees it that way.
I am offended if a child calls me by my first name. Unless otherwise instructed, my kids should always call an adult Mr/Mrs/Ms. and I expect the same from other children in return.

I don't TEACH or EXPECT my children to say yes sir/mam but they hear me say it so naturally they say it as well. I do however expect them to call adults Miss Barbara or Mr. Joe.

ETA No I don't think that people are raising their children wrong if they don't say it :D

When it comes to yes ma'am/sir there is no right or wrong...it's personal preference and also how the parents were raised. For someone to say that any one person is doing it wrong by not teaching their kids that...well, I really have no words for them.

I teach my kiddos to yes ma'am/sir but I grew up doing that and dh was raised that way too. Though I expect my kids to respond in such a manner to others and to us when we are disciplining I DO NOT expect others to say that to me.

As far as respect....you can have a lot of repsect without saying the yes ma'am/sir...you don't need those words to hold open a door, to say thank you or your welcome, to say excuse me and such.

I wish I could say that it's the kids and young adults of today that are like that but I can't, I actually see more of the older generation showing disrespect more than anyone esle :yes

I don't look down on you for not teaching your children to say Sir or Ma'am. I do look down on parents who don't teach their children to respect adults. I was tought to say Sir or Ma'am out of respect and that it's polite. But it was never required of me.
I don't require that I be called ma'am by anyones child and I will not require my child to say Sir oe Ma'am. However, we do introduce friends as Miss. so and so or Mr. so and so. If they are family then they get the family title such as Aunt or Uncle. I use last names if that's what the owner of the name prefers or if they are a person of authority. If they are a friend then first name works fine.

I am not big on the sir, ma'ma thing but my kid have to address someone as Mr. or Ms. Like Ms.Cindy or Mr.Jesse. They use last names until the person says it's OK to use their first name but they have to youe Ms or Mr. I am really big on it.

I was raised saying ma'm and sir and we will teach our children (when I have them) to say it. I think that every family has to pick and choose what they want to teach their children I don't think there is a right or a wrong. It is all personal choice.

I was never raised that way.. although I do say "Yes Ma'am" or "No Sir". I also adress people by Mr, Miss, or Mrs. To me its polite and if they are not close friends of mine.. then I prefer to keep it at those terms.

But I also work with the general public so Ive gotten used to it.

My whole family were Military people at one time.. Years ago during the war, but none of my family has been taught to say that. Most of the kids between the ages' of 18-37 got their manners from our Grandmother. She never forced us to say Sir or Ma'am. But most of us do for the simplicity of it.

Liam will be calling anyone with gray hair Sir or Ma'am. They have lived long enough to deserve that, I think(as most of that generation were raised to say it, I think they appreciate being adressed that way). He calls DH and I "Mama" and "Pops" and that's fine with us :lol

We've taught him to call other adults ma'am, sir, or Mr./Mrs. unless they wish otherwise. It's become habit for him, and he gets a lot of compliments on his manners from the seniors we run into, so I feel justified in teaching it.

I personally don't give two craps what other people's kids do :lol So long as they are doing what you have taught them, great!

I feel there is a whole lot more to respect then just saying yes/no sir/ma'am. Not all "elders" are entitled to respect age does make them any more important then anyone else. It just makes them older. I teach my children to be polite instead. Respect must be earned it is not an automatic BUT politeness is something that should be extended to everyone.

With that said my children call adult females Ms. or Miss first name and adult males Mr. first name. They are allowed to call close family friends Auntie or Uncle, and they are also allowed to call an adult by only the first name if the adult tells them it is OK.

They only call me or their Dad sir or ma'am if they are in big trouble. We never taught our oldest that he just did it on his own. Obviously this does not exactly apply to my youngest as he does not talk.

My DH thinks it is silly to call adults sir/ma'am automatically or Ms./Miss./Mr. first name as well. He comes from a Southern family. They are polite as is his extended family.

I think teaching respect has gone pretty much out the window....but that's my opinion (and verified pretty much at any given time at any mall in america).

What happened to holding the door open, saying excuse me, and saying "yes m'am and yes sir"? Is it that hard to teach? :dunno

My children where taught all of the above and more. No answering "yeah" in this house. Also when an elder is speaking you shut your trap, and look at them when they are speaking to you...and No rolling of the eyes.

I think if more parents would go back to "OLD SCHOOL" ways the world wouldn't be such a cold place.

Try walking down the street and saying "Hello!" ....most people won't even look you in the eye let alone return the greeting....Sad..very sad. :confuzzle

No, it may not be that hard to teach, but as others have pointed out, it is a matter of personal opinion. To me, having a child call someone Mr or Mrs is the same thing as sir or ma'am. I do think that is predominantly a Southern thing. I was raised to say Mr and Mrs. Does that make me rude? That is how I will teach my children, does that make them rude? Just because we don't speak how you see acceptable? That's a little bit ridiculous, if you ask me. And on a side note, after I read your post, it reminded me of a woman I knew who always said she wanted to go back to the horse and buggy days :giggle

My kids won't say yes ma'am to me. I think Ethan says it at school but he knows he doesn't have too.

Oh please. My kids will be taught respect - but saying sir or ma'am just won't be part of the repertoire...if and when they join the service, that'll change.

I'm a little irritated at the insinuation that because my kids won't call you ma'am, they're going to be disrespectful little brats. Ok a lot irritated. Give me a break :lol

I was raised saying ma'm and sir and we will teach our children (when I have them) to say it. I think that every family has to pick and choose what they want to teach their children I don't think there is a right or a wrong. It is all personal choice.

I agree with the bolded. I wasn't raised to say ma'am or sir but I was raised to respect my elders and my kids will be taught to do the same.

I'm sorry but aside from one post the overwhelming response in this thread has NOT been you're kids are heathens. It's been to each his own I WAS RAISED so I teach my kids. Why take that personally. I don't give a rat's behind if you don't teach you're kids but I was raised to do so and I do teach mine. :)

I'm sorry but aside from one post the overwhelming response in this thread has NOT been you're kids are heathens. It's been to each his own I WAS RAISED so I teach my kids. Why take that personally. I don't give a rat's behind if you don't teach you're kids but I was raised to do so and I do teach mine. :)

:giggle was this to me? I was actually speaking to that one post...guess I should have quoted it :lol

:giggle was this to me? I was actually speaking to that one post...guess I should have quoted it :lol

LOL sorry forgot to quote you..ROFL Yes I meant it in a nice way tho. That MOST people don't care what you make YOU'RE child say. ONLY what THEIR child says..kwim.

oh and ETA: that I didn't know you were only talking about that one post. I thought you meant you were feeling that way by all the posts..if that makes sense. That's why I said don't take it personally. But if it was in response to that one post then I can see how you would feel that way.

LOL sorry forgot to quote you..ROFL Yes I meant it in a nice way tho. That MOST people don't care what you make YOU'RE child say. ONLY what THEIR child says..kwim.

Yep, I kwym :) And I didn't take your reply as snotty or whatever - I just should have quoted the post that irritated me. Would have avoided alot of confusion :yes

Anywho. Moving on. :lol

Yep, I kwym :) And I didn't take your reply as snotty or whatever - I just should have quoted the post that irritated me. Would have avoided alot of confusion :yes

Anywho. Moving on. :lol

You know how worried I get about being snotty. I'd hate to think that somenoe thought I was being rude unless I actually was..kwim..LOL

IMO ma'am and sir is something left to the military or any job w/rank. In our home it's Mrs, Miss, or Mr. so and so. I don't expect ma'am or sir from our children but I do expect them to be polite. Please, thank you, eye contact, and door holding are a few of the things our children do without being taught or asked. I don't personally address anyone as Ma'am or sir unless I'm speaking w/someone how has earned that title through their job. :dunno

I don't have my kids say it. I feel like to make my kids say "yes sir or yes ma'am" is to tell them that in some way I am better than them, and they have to degrade themselves to talk to me.

The reason I feel like this is because it was how I was raised, and I felt like I was somehow "below" my parents. That and my DH doesn't want them to because he doesn't want the military brought home anymore than it already is. (his thoughts not mine).

At the same time, I don't look down on people who do have their children say it. Its their opinion, and yes, I agree that it is a sign of respect. So, more power to you if that's how you want to raise your kids.

Ok, I'm good. Bye.

No.

Calling parents that is an american thing if anything.

We say miss, or sir. We never say ma'am.

I wasn't raised to speak like that- but I was raised to speak politely, and with good grammar.

Ok so I swear alot, but I still know how to speak proper english, with proper pronounciation (americans would beg to differ though).

And no - I won't be raising my own children any different.

Only time i've ever needed to call people miss, or sir is at school, or at the shops.

Whatever floats your boat. It's certainly NOT only the "right" way. What matters most is manners.

My kids will be taught to say yes please and no thank you. I wasn't raised to say sir or ma'am. I think yes please and no thank you are just as good as sir and ma'am. They are both good manners.

I wasn't raised to say yes ma'am or yes sir, and we also weren't raised to add a "ms." or "mr." in front of first names.

We used people's last names with Ms. and Mr., just like adults did. And if we were friendly enough with the adult that my mom used first names, then so did we.

We were always polite and respectful, but without all the fuss for special ways for children to address an adult. In fact, dh says I'm TOO polite, and that I worry too much about other people. So not being raised to say Ma'am, Sir, or Ms. didn't ruin me I don't think! :wink

My mom always told us that if someone introduced themselves to us a certain way, as in, "Hi, I'm Ms. Patty" then we should respect that and say that same title.

Here in GA, I have heard PLENTY of kids saying yes ma'am with a snooty little attitude. To me, using a certain word doesn't make you polite, and using it with an attitude is much worse than just omitting it and not having any attitude at all.

This is getting long... so I'll say one last thing. I thought one of the rudest things I have ever encoutered regarding this topic was when I started working at my last job here in GA. My supervisors would look at me funny when I didn't say sir or ma'am to them, and they would say it back to me, just like you would to a kid. I'm sure my face said it all, but I reminded them that not everyone was from the South, and that where I'm from, it's often considered rude to address someone who isn't elderly that way, almost like it's an insult about age. Especially coming from a younger adult. They stopped doing it, but I just couldn't believe they had the nerve to try to correct me like that, like I was some kind of servant or something!

I was not raised to say Ma'am and Sir, however my parents were/are rabid about never answering an elder with "yeah" it must be "yes". We've decided that we'll teach DD that it's a regional preferance. If that is how the adult is comfortable being addressed, then she will do it, no questions asked. Where DH and I were raised, it is definitely not a sign of respect to address anyone as Ma'am/Sir, it is done to be snide and a smartass. I was talking with my BFF about this the other day and she was raised the same way, not respectful to say it either- not in our neck of the country.

i was always taught to say yes m'am and sir...old school military AND southern...Although I never thought I would see the day when a teenager would call me Ms. Cassie!! I AM ONLY 25!!! I FEEL SO OLD!

No, I won't teach my kids to say "ma'am" and "sir", but my DH might. I'm not sure where we'll go with that. He was raised in southern Illinois and I was raised in San Diego, and we were taught differently.

I hope that no one thought I was calling their children heathens, or their way is the wrong way :(. I was just saying that is dh and my personal preference that our kids say Yes/no ma'am/sir. I wasn't knocking anyones parenting style. I did originally say that as long as the kids are respectful, polite and courteous that's all that matters. That's the most important thing.

I wasn't raised that way but DH was. To me it seems simply weird especially when used for family members. IMO it is too formal to call your mom/dad/grandparents ma'am or sir. And that goes for times when the kid is in trouble as well. I was brought up with respect for people older than me but that doesn't mean that I have to use those terms. I can be respectful without it as well.

As fae as Miss K goes, she might end up using those terms with strangers, at church and/or at school since we are in AL. But she will not use them with us

Oh, I wanted to clarify how it's used in our home, so no one thinks we are so hardcore. Our children still refer to us as mommy and daddy, obviously. But when we tell them to do something , like clean their room or do your homework they will say "Yes Ma'am/Sir." They say it more if they know they are in trouble.

I hope that no one thought I was calling their children heathens, or their way is the wrong way :(. I was just saying that is dh and my personal preference that our kids say Yes/no ma'am/sir. I wasn't knocking anyones parenting style. I did originally say that as long as the kids are respectful, polite and courteous that's all that matters. That's the most important thing.

I didn't take what you said that way at all :hugs

They say it more if they know they are in trouble.

:yes

I was not raised to say Ma'am and Sir, however my parents were/are rabid about never answering an elder with "yeah" it must be "yes".
Same here. I have a tough time with the "yeah" and dont tolerate it very well.

I tought my kids to do it because they were getting very disrespectful so I was turning things around. I do not think someone is disrespectful just because they do not say it.

it's a coloquialism. i wasn't raised to say yes ma'am or yes sir, it's just the area i'm from. we always use Ms., Mrs., Mr. Last Name. so no, you're not in the wrong by not teaching it!

well, my oldest ds is 4 and yes he does say it, and i expect him too. he also says please and thank you. if that is not your choice then so be it, we all have our opinions. the one thing i cant stand, like the other day, we were at walmart and there was a kid in the buggy yelling at her mother-shut up-stop touching me, and she was throwing stuff, and the mother just looked at her laughing with one of her friends. my ds made the mistake of telling me to shut up once-because the tv said it, he said-but i cleared it up with him and i am pretty sure it will not come out of his mouth again(ok, well hopefully not)

i wasn't raised with it but I am from michigan.

In basic we started having to use it so now I say it, but not to everyone. I do think we will teach our children to though, only because I think its so respectful

I'm more concerned with kids being polite than saying certain words. Just because someone says ma'am or sir doesn't mean they aren't doing it with an attitude. LOL. When/if I have kids, teaching them to feel respect for other people as human beings will be my top priority, not what words to say... hope that makes sense.

No, it may not be that hard to teach, but as others have pointed out, it is a matter of personal opinion. To me, having a child call someone Mr or Mrs is the same thing as sir or ma'am. I do think that is predominantly a Southern thing. I was raised to say Mr and Mrs. Does that make me rude? That is how I will teach my children, does that make them rude? Just because we don't speak how you see acceptable? That's a little bit ridiculous, if you ask me. And on a side note, after I read your post, it reminded me of a woman I knew who always said she wanted to go back to the horse and buggy days :giggle

Putting a :giggle after an insult is still an insult.
I don't think anywhere in my post I said "Just because we don't speak how you see acceptable"...What I said was "respect has pretty much gone out the window" in my opinion. I just offered my opinion on how I raised my children.
I also noted how rude people in general can be...adult or child:giggle

I was never raised that way, so we don't raise our kids that way. We were never raised to say mr or mrs either. And it bugs me when everyone tells my kids to call them mr or mrs...my kids weren't raised by that.. and if they do say mr or mrs it is accompanied by their last name..not first.

To each their own.. I think the sir and ma'am is a predominantly southern thing.. Just like if my daughter addresses someone by their first name she's been taught to say Mrs. or Mr. infront of it.

I don't think it's "wrong" as in I don't think it makes you a bad parent not to teach them that way.

The way I was brought up it's just a part of manners and common courtesy is all.

:yes

My kids are expected to say sir & ma'am when asked/told to do something or when replying to an adult other than myself or DH as well as calling adults (that are not family members) Mr., Mrs., or Miss along with their first or last name. We are obviously called Momma & Daddy unless they are replying to us. Then they have the choice of saying "yes Momma" Or "yes ma'am," etc.

Yes my kids will and do say it.

I was raised to say it but my hubster wasn't. My kids do say it from time to time but they are very respectful in other ways so I don't push the issue too often.

I don't think it's a reflection of parenting skills just different styles really. My Daddy's from the South so we were taught to say it.

my kids don't say it, but they are still respectful and that is what matters to me. my DH has always believed that because he is in the military doesn't mean the kids are. and i will say NO sir to them but rarely. its just not our thing for our family but i wouldn't think that the kids that do say it are like abused or have crazy parents or anything like that. just doesn't work for us. as an adult i would rather hear no thank you over no ma'm. that is just me. my kids were taught to say no thank you and yes please.

I'm all about mutual respect. The sir and ma'am thing is more prevalent in the south. I think it's become more of a tradition now and you are not wrong in your parenting. I know children are taught to call their elders Mr., Mrs., or Miss out of respect but I believe that respect is something to be given to everyone regardless of age. I refer to my students as Mr. so and so and Miss so and so. They love it and I hear them refer to one another using the same prefixes. Too cute!

I guess this is an old thread, but I had to jump in. My dad is a retired Navy captain and STILL didn't bring us up to say sir and ma'am. And I think my brother and I turned out ok, regardless. You can be respectful without calling someone sir, and in my brother's case, you can call someone sir and not be respectful about it. They're just words and don't necessarily mean anything on their own. I probably won't raise my kids to say it.

Of course, then I went and joined the Civil Air Patrol (the US Air Force Auxiliary) and have to call people sir....it's incredibly hard because I think the word "sir" has come out of my mouth MAYBE twice in my life.

(Actually, and I hope this doesn't make anyone angry, I feel calling someone sir implies deference and submission that isn't always there)

No I'm not going to raise her to say that, it's too uhm .. old fashion-y for me. Of course I'm going to raise her to be respectful & not yell out "HEY YOU!" :lol but not "yes ma'm" or whatever.