What do you call small children, if you don’t know their names? Or just as a term of endearment.
When we lived in the south of England, it was Darling, Sweetheart, or Lovey.
Then in Scotland, it could be any of those, or sometimes Toots (which I loved). To a boy, it might be Big Man (funny, that). My son had a teacher in Primary 1 who called each child Lovely, and she had them eating out of her hand, so there must be something in that.
I know in the North East it is often Pet (which my mother still calls me, although she isn’t from the North East).
Here in the Midwest it’s Pumpkin, Sweet Pea, Honey (which becomes Hon, or Honeybun), Sweetie, and Darling (which I love, because of the way they say it: Darrlin’). I think I’ve heard Peanut once or twice. I do call my friends' kids Honey, and that feels ok, but I think I'll have to be here a few more years before it comes naturally to me to call a child Pumpkin.
What fond term do adults use to address small children round your way?
Bonhomme, "la Miss".
ReplyDeleteThe CFO says "les tetards à roulettes" (tadpoles on roller skates) but I think that's just him.
I must admit I say 'poppet', tho not many people seem to... I get that from my mum. I have no idea where it's from, whether it's very precious or upper class, or down market. I also say 'Littlie' which I get from my mum too. For some reason I have never ever been able to say darling, to my husband , my children, I just can't do it. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, get you, what's this 3 posts in less than 3 days?? Are you trying out a new formula- little & often?? I can't keep up. Just as well my daughter's ill today & glued to taped versions of Cbeebies circa 2007
Here in the southern Texas I have heard boys called "Sir", and "sport".I think "Darlin" and "lady bug" are pretty common for girls. I have also heard my daughter called, "Suger bee", "honey", "Shugg", and "Princess". My daughter's first grade teacher called all the kids "doodle bug". I think that one is pretty cute.
ReplyDeleteive never bben one of those people free and easy with nicknames...but since I had my kids they're coming out my ears...cutiepie, Monster Munch, sweetiepie, Banana Zoo, Mrs MacGoo...I could go on and on. "ma puce" (my flea) is a gorgeous one in french but doesnt really work in english!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I have just realised I don't use nicknames at all. Hmmm. My family (from the North East) used to say Pet Lamb as well as Pet. My mum calls my kids "my trasure" which they absolutely love but don't quite understand. An women in the north east call each other "hinnie". Well the older ones anyway.
ReplyDeleteGrr - my "treasure", I meant.
ReplyDeleteOne that's really prevalent in the American South that I haven't seen here is angel. I use darling, sweetheart, sweetie and love frequently and was called those things as a child. My daughter, mostly, has been called sweet pea. When middle son was a baby he had the biggest eyes and we started to call him bug, which stuck for a long time. At 15, he's not called bug much anymore. Little man is one my husband uses quite a lot for our youngest. I've never used pumpkin or peanut much but I hear them often. When I was growing up, we had a dog called Sugar, so I really only use that and shug for my dogs. One of my grandfathers used to call all of us girls Suzy-Q, I think so he didn't have to go through a string of names to find the right one. My parents picked up on it and called me that as well, especially my father. My daughter will still respond to Suzy, although we've long dropped the "Q".
ReplyDeleteExpatmum - My mum calls me Treasure as well as Pet. She must be more North East than I knew.
ReplyDeleteAround here they say "Duck" which I'm not too keen on! I never know what to say so it usually creates an ackward moment! "Darling" usually works well.
ReplyDeletepoppet, sometimes shortened to 'pops'. other terms i hurl at my children probably do not belong on a family blog. i shall keep those to myself.
ReplyDeletePigx
All family terms of endearment too embarrassingly odd and intimate evolutions of a particular point in history to be posted here!
ReplyDeleteFor children whose names I don't know (or have forgotten, thanks to the surgical removal of my brain along with the placenta); poppet, sweetheart, sweetpea, darling (God it's cringeworthy).
ReplyDeleteFor my own (it gets worse); Mr Moo, Monster, Georgeousness, Oh Smelly One, Gannet, Wonder Boy....
I call most children sweetie or sweetheart or darling.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I call them petal or poppet. Sometimes I call them you little bugger but only when their parents can't hear me.
I think I almost always use 'Sweetie' and, sometimes, 'Sweetheart'.
ReplyDeleteMy granddad (Welsh miner) always called everyone (adult or child) 'Butt' (may be spelt 'But'?), though I think I remember my dad telling me that he was using it wrong and that it should only be for male peers!
I tend to use Sweetie/sweetheart or gorjus. If it's a little child, Sweetpea. Actually thinking about it I tend to use the term Munchkins rather a lot, and Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnything that comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad called me tiddly-push, no idea why.
Love
Josephine
Well I tend to use Sausage, Munks (as in monkey) and Bubs but that's mainly for my children not the masses
ReplyDeleteI use "poppet" or "sunshine",amazing how many differant names we all use.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post.
Personally, I mainly "sweetheart"...a few people round my way say "hun" (as in honey but makes me think of Attila so I shy away from that one). Lots of "chucks" and "our kids" too (living in Manchester).
ReplyDeleteI don't know about children, but Adrian gets called 'Big Man' every once in a while - and he's only 5'5. I guess that's the joke, eh?
ReplyDeleteBon homme, ma puce, cherie, petit monstre, prince etc. Around here, the people are so lovely and relaxed and warm with kids - it's funny, when we go around the supermarket my six year old will be stopping to shake hands with all these kids and adults that he meets in his school life, that we have no idea who they are. Shaking hands at six years old seems so weird - but so civilised too.
ReplyDeleteMy mum used poppet and pickle. My dad always used to call us Fred - not sure why, I think it was when he couldn't be bothered to work out which one of us he was talking to, so Fred was the catch-all. Or perhaps, the son he never had??!
Mya x
My daughter is pudding or pud (!) and my son is sweets.
ReplyDeleteUrgh!
Everyone else is 'honey' and that includes friends, their husbands and on one super embarassing occussion, my son's teacher!
What can I say, I'm a friendly girl!
I want to go on record as never calling my children pumpkin.
ReplyDeleteI say sweetie pie ... not sure where that one came from?!
What do you call children if you forget their names? If you teach in an affluent area, I find that 'Hugh, Henry, or Oliver' for boys and 'Lydia, Emma or Charlotte' for the girls usually answers very well. But that may not work for you.
ReplyDeletePS I just loved your comment that your philosopher husband is thinking his way out of our current crisis. Could you pass on my plea for him to do as much as possible as soon as possible. 'he does the philosophising so you don't have to'. Could he set up as a mobile philosopher? 'I wondered if you could send help. I'm at a Hegelian crossroads in my life and I've broken down. I think my moral compass has given up the ghost. Could you come out and give me enough half-baked thoughts just to get me home again....?' Beats the RAC every time, in my book.
what a lovely post. darling i think. for most people's kids. and my own, or the nicknames that have morphed from their own, until i'm cross when HatBatBoo becomes a stern HARRIET! i was Lady Jane (my own name is not Jane) because i was bossy eldest of three. My sweet little sister was Miss Muffit.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's 'poppet' and 'my love'. I used to work in a school and there was no way I could remember a couple of hundred kids' names, so 'poppet', 'sweetheart' and 'my love' saved the day!
ReplyDeleteIota - thanks so much for the comments on my blog! I am so glad you found it - I am definitely going to follow you and add you to my blogroll. Once I get home from work, I will give your blog a good read!