Yes ma'amm/sir... Hell no!

torneen

So my husband dropped a bomb on me last night that he wants our kids to say "Yes, Ma'am" or "Yes, Sir" to us... for everything!  I know this may work for some families... but it DOES NOT work for me.  Our neice and nephew are forced to do this and there is so much repressed anger behind their little voices when they are forced to say it.  If looks could kill!!  It makes my skin crawl to hear it.  My family did not have this practice when I was growing up and I do not want to carry it forward.  And above that, I have waited thirty years to be a Mom.. not a Ma'am.  Where I come from, being called Ma'am is not a good thing.  And yes, I have already expressed all this to my husband and we have worked it out.  I guess I just needed to vent about it some more.  I told him that if he wants them to say "Yes Sir" to him, then whatever.  But if our chilren say "Yes Ma'am" to me I will not tolerate it.  Nor will I enforce this idea or help to continue it in anyway.  He is on his own if he wants them to say "Yes Sir" and I told him as much.  As long as they say please and thank you sincerley then I am okay with that.