My very southern parents call my DD "grandbaby" all the time and she is over two. She is the youngest and last grandhild so she will always be "the baby" in some ways. I don't refer to my kid as a baby but if my parents use it as a term of endearment why does it matter to me. I get emails all the time from them to "kiss our sweet grandbaby for us"--let it go OP. There are other threads with people complaining about grandparents who have zero interest in the grandkids, babies or otherwise.

It's a Southern thing (and African American thing too, since most African Americans in the US migrated to other areas from the south.)

I actually think "grandbaby" is cute. If you have even heard a rural poor southerner call your child "girl child" or "boy child" or "last name+child", like "Smith child" it would really creep you out.

My Mom also wanted to be called "grandmother"--it's a higher SES southern thing; don't want the kids calling to you like a low class nana or meemaw.

Whats more annoying is my MIL wants my kids to address her as Grandmother. (not Grandma, etc). I found it odd and just couldn't go with that, so they have never used that "title" for her. Even though they are now in their teens, she still signs any cards to them with "Grandmother". She is southern, so maybe it's a southern thing?

This is very strange.

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely hate it too!! I thought it was just me. My MIL also calls my children, boy or girl. MIL, "hey boy how are you?" She says it like she just got off of Little House on the Prairie.

Anonymous wrote:I've always thought this was an African-American thing. I've been called "baby" many times (though I am 40 years old) by African-American women.

I (white, Northern) have gotten used to this and call my kid "baby" all the time.

Everyone I know who says this is AA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is like baby mama.

No that's for trashy people who have kids before marriage.

It's sound the same to me, trashy.

I absolutely hate it too!! I thought it was just me. My MIL also calls my children, boy or girl. MIL, "hey boy how are you?" She says it like she just got off of Little House on the Prairie.