Who's Your Daddy?

I've noticed what may be a quirky psychological difference between men and women. Granted, my sample size is small at two, but the results are consistent.

When I talk to Claire about Shane, I say things like: Where's Daddy? Can you give Daddy some kisses? Isn't Daddy so funny!

When Shane talks to Claire about me, the parental name is always preceded by "your"; There's your mom! You'll have to ask your mom. Your mom is going to give you a bath.

Upon reflection, the same phenomenon occured when I was growing up. When Daddy spoke, Mummy was always "Your mom" and when Mummy spoke, Daddy was always, well, Daddy.

My theories:

1. The word Mummy. Perhaps little boys, especially in the US, grow up thinking of mummies only as the decrepit corpses of ancient Egyptians, and while we Mummies may resemble them after a a couple of weeks being up with the new baby, the menfolk are just not ready to admit that they are bedding down with a sarcophagal creature.
2. Again, the word Mummy, typically English. Occasionally pretentious American. Perhaps it is an isolated cultural difference stemming from the word. Would they be more comfortable with Mom?
3. My third and final theory is that it simply makes them feel icky to tag us with the same name their own mother had. By keeping "your" in front of the word, it declares that despite our new change in status, we are not their Mother, never will be, eew. Or maybe it's that we can never live up to their Mothers and so we haven't earned the title. (nah!)

Whatever the reason, I am fine with it. That's how it was when I was growing up and I would really like everything to be the exact same way it was then in our home now. (That's an entirely different psychological issue that might need to be explored!)

Now, how and why the term "Who's your Daddy" came to mean something dirty, I don't even want to know!