Calling little girls "mama"?

[Anonymous]

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of mothers calling their daughters, "mama"...For example, I've heard a mother tell her child, "C'mon mama, let's go" or something like that...
I'm so curious why people do this and I'm hearing it more and more..can anyone explain this odd trend?

[Anonymous]

My Salvadoran nanny calls my daughter "mama". And our son "papa". I think it's cute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lately, I've been hearing a lot of mothers calling their daughters, "mama"...For example, I've heard a mother tell her child, "C'mon mama, let's go" or something like that...
I'm so curious why people do this and I'm hearing it more and more..can anyone explain this odd trend?

I don't do this, but sometimes, to be funny, I will use the phrase, "sistah sistah," when talking to my DD. Like, "Come on, sistah sistah," or "Amen, sistah sistah!" I don't know why! It just comes out of my mouth! Maybe b/c I do have sisters and I am sort of used to that type of phrasing when talking to a close female family member? I don't really know!

[Anonymous]

My DD earned the nickname "Li'l Mama" for constantly bossing her older siblings.

[Anonymous]

A lot of Hispanics call their little girls 'mami'.

[Anonymous]

I call my toddler "Lady" sometimes, as in "Come over here Lady." I have no idea why, it's just stream of consciousness."

[Anonymous]

It's normal in black or Latino communities to call children mama, mami, pop, or papi. I personally call my dd mama pretty much every day. It's only odd if you're not familiar with different cultures I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's normal in black or Latino communities to call children mama, mami, pop, or papi. I personally call my dd mama pretty much every day. It's only odd if you're not familiar with different cultures I guess.

This is more socioeconomic than race/ethnic. You rarely hear children called mama/papa among my middle to upper income hispanic and black friends (and I'm hispanic). i have, however, heard it among family members in lower socioeconomic classes.

[Anonymous]

it's a nickname often used in my philipino culture for little girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's normal in black or Latino communities to call children mama, mami, pop, or papi. I personally call my dd mama pretty much every day. It's only odd if you're not familiar with different cultures I guess.

This is more socioeconomic than race/ethnic. You rarely hear children called mama/papa among my middle to upper income hispanic and black friends (and I'm hispanic). i have, however, heard it among family members in lower socioeconomic classes.

Wow, that is interesting. I didn't know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's normal in black or Latino communities to call children mama, mami, pop, or papi. I personally call my dd mama pretty much every day. It's only odd if you're not familiar with different cultures I guess.

This is more socioeconomic than race/ethnic. You rarely hear children called mama/papa among my middle to upper income hispanic and black friends (and I'm hispanic). i have, however, heard it among family members in lower socioeconomic classes.

Are you calling me a poor? You're wrong sweetie. I'm a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Dd's nanny from Paraguay calls her "mamita". I think it's adorable so now I do the same.

[Anonymous]

I've never heard it, but it sounds ghetto.

[Anonymous]

What a bunch of idiots on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard it, but it sounds ghetto.

You sound like you are not open to cultural differences. I am white; however, I have friends (highly educated - world bank, etc.) from countries in South America as well as Cuba and I have heard them call their children "mami" or "'papi". the first time I heard it, I asked and was told that it was just a nickname sometimes given to children.