Do some dads really make their sons call them ‘sir’?

19 comments

1. I’ve only seen it personally in families where the dad places his entire identity in his military career. Not very common.

2. Yes, i’ve heard that before. Same with ma’am for mothers.

   I personally haven’t heard it in my life, but i’ve heard it on TikTok. Probably only 4 videos though. It’s not common at all. Something they all had in common was they were from the south, so maybe that has something to do with it? Who knows.

3. It was common 60 or 70 years ago, but now it is rare. It is still used in some deeply religious households, or military families.

   If you are seeing it in an old movie, that’s because it’s just how people genuinely talked back then.

   If you are seeing it in a new movie (that isn’t set in the past), it’s because they are specifically trying to depict the dad as strict, traditional, and old fashioned.

4. I think it’s generally an old school regional southern thing. Not in the northeast

5. Not really that common. Maybe you’ll find that in more traditional/religious families, or where the father is absolutely nuts. But it’s not that common. You may find that more in the southern US than anywhere else, but it’s not that common there either.

6. One of my cousins always had to say, “Yes sir,” to his dad whenever he was asked/told to do something. I don’t remember hearing anyone else in my life having to say it to their dad so I don’t think it’s that common anymore. Maybe it’s a military thing.

7. Yeah. It’s weird.

8. I have a friend who makes his kids do this and for the life of me can’t get an explanation as to why. He just thinks it’s the respectful way to talk to your parents. He’s not in the military. And he doesn’t talk to his parents like this. I think it’s a power trip.

   It isn’t common.

9. Not where I live.

10. My kids call me by my first name.

11. Yes. It sometimes occurs. It’s a sign of respect.

12. In tv/movies it’s often a shorthand for “this dad is super strict”, this isn’t common in real life.

13. I heard it when I worked a bit on military bases many years ago. Other than that, I haven’t heard it much. Interestingly, my 7 year old granddaughter was answering adults with “yes sir” and “yes ma’am” last time I visited her house. No idea where that came from, as her parents aren’t southern, military, or particularly strict. She may have picked it up from some of the military / ex-military families in the neighborhood, but that’s just a guess.

14. As someone who grew up in the South, the expectation was to respond with “yes/no ma’am/sir” when any adult said something to you. It’s a Southern tradition and is considered respectful 🤷‍♀️

15. It happened in the 60s and 70s in California when I was growing up with some of my friends. In particular one that grew up in Georgia originally. I suspect it continued as a habit in the South much longer than that.

16. I call my dad that as a joke. Two reasons:

    1. It’s partly inspired by the Peanuts’ character, Marcie (he used to read me Peanuts comics as a kid).

    2. Whenever I’d complain about doing chores around the house, he’d jokingly say, “No whining. Just say ‘yes, Sir!'”

    Around high school, I started getting self conscious about calling him Papi (Daddy in Spanish), and I settled on Sir. I’m 32 now, and it’s still my nickname for him.

17. I’ve never seen it associated with stern fatherhood in real life, but “yes sir, yes ma’am” is common, yeah. At least in the south and/or families with southern roots.

    And it’s not really a kids thing, though. It’s just being gracious, so adults do it too.

18. Some?

    Sure. I was friends with a guy in highschool who addressed his dad as “sir”.

    As far as my dad goes, though, he was just: “Dad”. He did want me to address my friend’s parents with sir or ma’am or Mr. X and Mrs. X, though.

19. Yeah, when I was little. Just helped me learn to be respectful towards adults