How commonly do you address your parent as “Sir/Ma’am”?
November 2, 2025
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?
36 comments
never.
Never. But there are some parts of the south where this is common.
They would have laughed hysterically if I did that. My parents were hippies.
Parent? Never. A stranger on the street or something that looks older than me? Generally every time
never
my high school ex in the 2000s had a military dad that insisted his kids call him sir but its not normal
Never. I don’t use either in general
never
Never. We’d all be extremely uncomfortable if I said something weird and formal like that.
I’m a southerner and I use sir/ma’am for most interactions with any elders. Unless it’s not obvious which is more appropriate and then I don’t use it at all.
Sir and ma’am were used for other adults when we were children. Never called my parents either unless it was in a jokey way.
Never. In the Northeast, using “Sir” or “Ma’am” is taken by the recipient as a sarcastic mockery of already presumed authority, and would lead to even more stringent punishment.
It’s very uncommon, been a while since I’ve seen it but pretty sure that was written in to help illustrate that Dennis Quaid’s chatacter was growing up in a very strict household
Edit: typos
Now that I’m an adult I don’t do it much, but when I was growing up it was considered disrespectful to not use sir/ma’am for any adult, family or stranger. I’m from south Mississippi originally so it’s pretty normal there.
It’s regional – definitely more common in the South.
I don’t address my parents like this or know anyone who does. The only time we tend to use sir/ma’am is when being polite to a stranger. For example, “Sir, the entrance is on the other side of the building.” It’s a stand in for not knowing their name.
Always. But I’m in the South.
Only as a joke.
Never
Never
Growing up in the South I always said “yessir/yes ma’am/no sir/no ma’am” to all adults including my parents. I’m 40 and still do with any elderly adults. But I’ve never addressed my parents as sir or ma’am aside from that.
It was a requirement as a kid though. If I ever said “no” to my mom or another adult it would be replied to with “no what?” and you’d have to correct yourself — “no *ma’am.*”
Never.
Never. I call my dog sir though often, mostly incredulously when he’s being a pain.
That tends to be a regional cultural thing in the South or I knew a person who had to whose dad was military.
Never. It sounds too formal.
Never, but some regions do
It’s a sign of respect in the south. Children are taught to do so at an early age.
Never
I never call anyone sir or maam.
Never…
I am confident I have done that zero times in my entire life.
Never
It’s a southern thing, not common outside the south
Not so often in the north. The only reason you say sir or ma’am in the north is if you don’t know them, but you see drop something, and need to get their attention.
Only when being sarcastic and bratty. It did not go over well.
Never. Either of my parents would have laughed me out of the room.
Southerner, GenX. Everyday until they passed. And the same with anyone I work with, no matter their place on the org chart.
I’m from Texas and I almost always say yes/no sir/ma’am- whether I am talking to my parents or a stranger in the street it is the same and I always raised to say it out of respect.
36 comments
never.
Never. But there are some parts of the south where this is common.
They would have laughed hysterically if I did that. My parents were hippies.
Parent? Never. A stranger on the street or something that looks older than me? Generally every time
never
my high school ex in the 2000s had a military dad that insisted his kids call him sir but its not normal
Never. I don’t use either in general
never
Never. We’d all be extremely uncomfortable if I said something weird and formal like that.
I’m a southerner and I use sir/ma’am for most interactions with any elders. Unless it’s not obvious which is more appropriate and then I don’t use it at all.
Sir and ma’am were used for other adults when we were children. Never called my parents either unless it was in a jokey way.
Never. In the Northeast, using “Sir” or “Ma’am” is taken by the recipient as a sarcastic mockery of already presumed authority, and would lead to even more stringent punishment.
It’s very uncommon, been a while since I’ve seen it but pretty sure that was written in to help illustrate that Dennis Quaid’s chatacter was growing up in a very strict household
Edit: typos
Now that I’m an adult I don’t do it much, but when I was growing up it was considered disrespectful to not use sir/ma’am for any adult, family or stranger. I’m from south Mississippi originally so it’s pretty normal there.
It’s regional – definitely more common in the South.
I don’t address my parents like this or know anyone who does. The only time we tend to use sir/ma’am is when being polite to a stranger. For example, “Sir, the entrance is on the other side of the building.” It’s a stand in for not knowing their name.
Always. But I’m in the South.
Only as a joke.
Never
Never
Growing up in the South I always said “yessir/yes ma’am/no sir/no ma’am” to all adults including my parents. I’m 40 and still do with any elderly adults. But I’ve never addressed my parents as sir or ma’am aside from that.
It was a requirement as a kid though. If I ever said “no” to my mom or another adult it would be replied to with “no what?” and you’d have to correct yourself — “no *ma’am.*”
Never.
Never. I call my dog sir though often, mostly incredulously when he’s being a pain.
That tends to be a regional cultural thing in the South or I knew a person who had to whose dad was military.
Never. It sounds too formal.
Never, but some regions do
It’s a sign of respect in the south. Children are taught to do so at an early age.
Never
I never call anyone sir or maam.
Never…
I am confident I have done that zero times in my entire life.
Never
It’s a southern thing, not common outside the south
Not so often in the north. The only reason you say sir or ma’am in the north is if you don’t know them, but you see drop something, and need to get their attention.
Only when being sarcastic and bratty. It did not go over well.
Never. Either of my parents would have laughed me out of the room.
Southerner, GenX. Everyday until they passed. And the same with anyone I work with, no matter their place on the org chart.
I’m from Texas and I almost always say yes/no sir/ma’am- whether I am talking to my parents or a stranger in the street it is the same and I always raised to say it out of respect.