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It's a habit she can't seem to shake.
By Nia Tipton — Written on Jan 28, 2023
A woman is seeking advice on whether or not referring to her husband as 'daddy,' is an unusual thing to do, especially when their children aren't around.
Posting to the subreddit r/parenting — a forum where users are able to discuss the ups and downs of raising a child and seek advice about parenting — the 35-year-old mom explained that when she and her husband's 9-year-old daughter isn't around, she'll still call him "daddy."
"When I talk to my daughter, I naturally refer to him as 'daddy.' But I’ve started noticing that when I call him daddy in public, some people are giving me looks," she wrote in her Reddit post.
She wonders if it's 'weird' or 'normal' that she calls her husband 'daddy,' even when their child isn't around.
The woman explained that sometimes, out of habit, she'll refer to him by the title usually reserved for their daughter.
"We were at the store check out and he went to get something from the back of the store that we forgot to pick up. I said, 'Thanks for doing it, daddy!'" she recalled.
She acknowledges that she doesn't do it because of a kink and only out of habit, but realizes that it may not come across like that to other people who overhear her using the term in public.
The woman realized that she continues to do even when the couple's daughter isn't around.
She offered examples, saying, "Like 'What should we make for dinner, Daddy?' Am I weird? I do call him 'honey,' and 'babe,' when my kiddo is out of earshot."
While it hasn't been a problem between her and her husband, she claimed that the term has bled into her job as a nanny.
She's even caught herself calling the fathers of the children she babysits "daddy."
"As in, 'Look at what Claire made at school today, Daddy!' Again, I don’t have a daddy fetish, but I’m worried that people will assume things and pass judgment," she continued.
While she pointed out that it wouldn't be hard to simply "re-train" herself to use her husband's actual name instead of the parenting title, the term "daddy" will sometimes slip out before she can catch herself.
"Do any of you guys do this, especially in single-child households? Does it feel weird to you?" she concluded.
Reddit users defended the woman's use of calling her husband 'daddy,' and offered their own opinions.
"My husband and I call each other mama and daddy, but we're also trying to teach our 11-month-old to talk," one user wrote.
Another user added that they've done the same thing, and will often refer to their wife as "mommy" when their children aren't around.
"My wife calls me daddy all the time when the kids are around. When they're not around I've never noticed her doing it, but I'm sure it's slipped out once or twice."
"I'm sure I've called her "mommy" when we are alone at some point. I can assure you I do not have a mommy fetish."
A third user chimed in, "I do that all the time. Even when the kids aren’t around I catch myself doing it. It’s just a habit."
"Back when I used to call him by his name, the kids started calling him by his name too, so I ended up calling him daddy to get them to call him daddy, and it’s hard to toggle back and forth."
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Keep up with her on Instagram and Twitter.