Getting called MA'AM makes me feel OLD

I like it. There is so little respect out here these days, I appreciate it wherever it comes from. I don't feel old. I feel mature and worthy of respect.

I dont mind being called Maam lol or madam,or something pretty polite,but its being called LOVE that doesnt hold too well with me lol.I go into my local bank and theres a cashier in there who insists on calling me LOVE !!Sometimes I just want to ask her not to call me Love !!..it almost seems wrong to call a customer in a bank Love..but that is maybe just me,the way I look upon life!

It doesn't matter to me. Ma'am and Sir are "unfamilliar" people of adult age, be they in their 20s or their 90s. If I knew the person I'd use their names, or I'd call them Ms/Mrs/Miss or Mr. TheirLastName if I knew it, but if I don't know their name, Ma'am, or Sir.

That's a natural response specially to those that don't expect them. I'm also like that sometimes, when someone calls me "Sir", I just told them I'm not a teacher so don't call me sir. I think they just treated you with high regards above others but what can we do?, we're just cynical about its meaning but basically what they mean is that they respect your standing, but just try to approach them and told them what you like to be called, eventually they'll understand. Of course, they will feel disrespectful when they just directly call you by name to thin your someone of high rank compared to them. Just get a grip of yourself, its one of the two things, its either your really old, or you just feel the guilt you are.

I totally agree - I hate it too! But hey what would they call you if they didn't call you ma'am? I noticed the change to madam / ma'am when I had children. So I suppose it's just that I'm obviously more mature now that I've had children, and that maturity is being rewarded with a new title of madam. Well, that's what makes me feel a little better about it anyway! Is the next step, old hag??

I think is a respectful manner to approach a lady, and I call it to all ladys over my age :)

A lot of women feel that way. I know I do. If anyone calls me ma'am, I will say, "You could call me 'miss'?" or "The name is _________" (again, I will never give out my real name on this website, so do not ask for it)".

yea for sure since I don't look my age at all i have my mom's skin and skinny like my dad so the least they will think i am 5 to 10 yrs younger if they see me but i don't know about my voice, some people think i'm little girl some call me ma'am hahah i do feel old if they call me that but not as bad because i want people to treat me as woman my age

It's just a Southern habit for me lol. For me, calling someone ma'am doesn't have anything to do with age. But I did find out just how southern it was when I moved to the northeast, and was told 'don't call me that' It doesn't make me feel old because I was used to everyone saying it.

I guess its better than "Hey lady". If somebody calls me "Mr." I tell that my dad is a Mr. and then I ask them to call me by my first name. Now I do teach my children to say please and thank you and they will say Ma'am on occasion but mostly Miss and Mr. Don't let those punk teens push you around, call them lost youth, that'll get back at them.

I'm a guy but I kindda can relate to what you're saying... I still remember the first time when I was called "sir"... I walked into a store & there were few kids standing around... I had a blue shirt on & it somewhat resembled the uniformed the people worked there were wearing... One kid must have thought I worked there... Decent looking kid, clean cut & very polite... And there it was, first thing out of his mouth was, "Sir? Could you help me find something?"... And of course I told him kindly that I didn't work there & he proceeded to say, "Oh, sorry about that..." He was polite & nice enough kid so I figured may be I could help the guy... So I said I don't work there but may be I could help him anyway... He goes, "Thank you... My dad sent me here to pick up a record cleaner... I don't know what it looks like... I don't even know what it is..." Then I remembered, yeah, I have had few records in my time... Matter in fact, I still have some albums... I explained to one of the older looking guy who worked there & he found it for us... Then this kid says, "I'm glad I ran into you... I didn't even know what this was... Thank you very much, sir!" Then I remembered, yeah, I still have records... lol... Yikes, I feel old...

You are funny!! ladies in my country are glad when they when somebody called them ma'am, that is an address to a lady with high regard, that's in my country. I heard that young people in Other countries like USA they called the older people by their name?Is it not like that in your place? I just can't believe young ones call old people their names because in my country, we really give respect to the old or adult people even if they are not related to us by blood.

Boy, do I ever agree with you. I HATE being called maam. I know that people are just being respectful, but it sure makes me feel old. And I'm not even old, just 42. I don't think you have to look a certain age, I think it's just some people's way of showing respect.

same here, in the last couple years kids call me mam. it makes me feel old. i dont feel like a mam. mams are like 60 ore older.

I'm only in college and I hate being called ma'am. It makes me feel really old when I get called ma'am. Though I do feel a little special when someone addresses me such or another way. So it sorta goes back and forth.

I used to feel that way, when people said "ma'am" to me, but now I don't. It's just the way people have learned to address women. I sign of respect. It can be sexy, too. I mean, think about it. As a "ma'am", I know alot, probably more than a "miss" does anyway. I think "ma'am's" include very young women, or old women. It's just the way you feel about yourself, no matter what your age. Are you a savvy and sexy "ma'am," or just an old and worn out "ma'am." It's up to you.

for me it doesnt matter for me thinking that i am old but when they call me MA'AM i feel so conscious because its too much respectful for me.

Lol, I remember the first time that happened to me. I so know what you mean. I felt exactly like you. Personally, I think I'm similar that I call every woman who looks old enough to be married "Mam" and otherwise I use "Miss". Unless it's a teacher and the kids have been instructed to use "Miss" even though the teacher is married.