I call my mother "Momma." I am 26, she is 54. She still calls me "Baby."

Isn't the problem that she is calling you mama when she should be using your name ( not mom)? That's how I took it. She should be saying "Larla, come look what he built." My MIL has taken to calling me and DH "mommy" and "daddy" when speaking directly to us if the kids are in the room ("mommy, do you want more bread?") and it is really annoying. Just say our names!

I wish this would be the only thing I have going with my mom. You're lucky if this is your biggest issue with her.

Oh by no means, it is just one of the few that there is potential to change.

The last post has a point. Do you call your mom 'MOM'.

Just tell your mom, don't call me mama. At 4, your son knows who mom is.

We are a bilingual family, confusion starts when you call aunt #1 the wrong way, and eldest uncle the wrong way, etc etc.

Do you call her "mom"? Maybe she doesn't want him to be confused between the two of you, by distinguishing "mom" and "mama".
I wish this would be the only thing I have going with my mom. You're lucky if this is your biggest issue with her.

yep. i don't have a problem with the name "mama" and i'm pretty sure it's not "infantalizing" your 4-year-old.

You are right, I am probably viewing it in the context of other issues (like insisting that he needs a stroller for a one block walk!).

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I could just say something along the lines of "Hey, DS likes to call me mom now, would you mind doing so too?"

yep. i don't have a problem with the name "mama" and i'm pretty sure it's not "infantalizing" your 4-year-old. "mama" is a pretty common version of "mom".

but if you don't like it, tell her you don't like it and you prefer "mom". remember, you're not complaining about something she's doing "wrong"; you're just trying to get her to accomodate your preference. most people wouldn't mind!

Whack her on the nose with a rolled up newspaper when she does it.

Start calling her "maw maw"

Maybe I could just say something along the lines of "Hey, DS likes to call me mom now, would you mind doing so too?"

Its better than Big Mamma, for sure!

I think you have to tell her straight up it annoys you, and let the chips fall where they may, or get over it and learn to deal.

I have a co-worker who calls me "Mama". It wierded me out at first, but now I'm used to it.

Just ask your mom to call you by name, I doubt it will hurt her feelings

Lots of people even adults use mama. It could be cultural or what she grew up with. Did she refer to herself or call her own mother mama?

My son is 4.5, calls me mom, and also knows my first name. My mom constantly refers to me as "mama" in front of him, whether speaking to me or about me ("Mama, come see what DS built out of blocks!."). I find this very annoying, and feel like it is infantalizing my son. At the same time, I don't want to be rude to her or hurt her feelings. Is there a nice way to discourage this?