# Children saying "sir" and "ma'am": Asshole parents?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-saying-sir-and-maam-asshole-parents/540775>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 26, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-saying-sir-and-maam-asshole-parents/540775 "2010-05-26T01:10:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 26

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-saying-sir-and-maam-asshole-parents/540775/26 "2010-05-26T02:59:31Z")

</div>

> [@whiterabbit](#):
>
> And that they may or may not be assholes; “sir” and “ma’am” would not be part of how I made that determination, were I to make it.

I think this is the main reason why I was so shocked. How can you say someone is an asshole just by this one thing ?? 😕

> [@JohnT](#):
>
> Uh, no. But I called my father “sir” all the time, so I guess you’re _really_ asking me if my dad was an asshole, which is, again, “no”.

I had a hard time not taking it personally when two people in the GQ thread said they would assume the parents were assholes. I’m not an asshole either, but I raised my children to say “ma’am” and “sir”. Like Johnny L.A.'s dad, I addressed them as “sir” and “ma’am” as well.

From the other thread:

> [@The practice of calling your father "sir"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-practice-of-calling-your-father-sir/540693/14):
>
> Obviously, your experience differs from mine then. It’s a common polite way to address people, and I taught my children this along with other manners such as covering your mouth when you cough, chewing with your mouth closed, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.
> 
> I know you have no way of knowing this but I am not an asshole.

[QUOTE=NinetyWt]  
often I answer them “yes ma’am” or “no sir”, etc.; or to give another example, “would you pick up your toys please sir” or “would you pass the butter please ma’am”.  
[/QUOTE]

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/children-saying-sir-and-maam-asshole-parents/540775)._