# The practice of calling your father "sir"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-practice-of-calling-your-father-sir/540693>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 25, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-practice-of-calling-your-father-sir/540693 "2010-05-25T13:09:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 14

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**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-practice-of-calling-your-father-sir/540693/14 "2010-05-25T14:55:08Z")

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> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#):
>
> Usually, parents who insist on being called sir and ma’am when a child is talking to them ARE assholes. It’s a way of trying to get respect without earning it, in my experience. It’s usually the sign of parents who don’t particularly want love, just mindless obedience.

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.

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