Calling other men "papa"

[Halfasianmomma]

My DD doesn't see her dad a lot these days. Usually it's every Sunday for 3.5 hrs, but lately, it's been more like, every 2 Sundays.

The male figure she sees most often is my father, and she clearly identifies him as "papa". She does the same with any male relative that she sees a lot and who gives her affection. She does not, however, have any name for her father...she does not use the word "daddy" or "papa" with regards to him.

I'm wondering if I should try to correct her from identifying my father as her father. I don't keep any pictures of STBX around, but there are tons of family pics of my mother, my father and I around, and she gleefully identifies my dad in them. Part of me thinks it's good for her to know who her father is, but then again, her father is barely involved in her life...

[simplemama32]

How old is your DD? I know my son (who is 2) identifies almost all women around my age as a "mommy" and older women are generically "Grandmama" (what he calls my mother).

FWIW, my father is called "Papa" by DS (my dad wanted to be called that, which was fine with me) and that is quite a common way to refer to grandfathers in my experience. :-) I would think she would naturally sort out everyone's relationship as she gets older. If you have another name your dad (or you) would prefer your DD call him, maybe work on getting her to substitute that name for "papa"?

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Honestly, its all in the preferance of what you want your children to call their grandparents.

Ironically, my FIL is Papa. And becuase papa is easier to say then grandpa, my little guy calls my father the same thing. My husband always called his grandfathers papa as well.

And my best friend called her grandparents mama and papa. So personally, I dont see a think wrong with it.

[SoCaliMommy]

de lurking

i'm not single , but wanted to share that

my daughter calls my stepdad papa "his name"

I see nothing wrong with your daughter calling your dad papa.

[Halfasianmomma]

hmm, well we speak French at home, so "papa" literally means "daddy"...also, *I* call my father "papa" so DD picked up on it.

[FourTrees]

In my (southern) family grandpas are called something that sounds like "papaw". So, papa isn't far off at all. My son sees his father about once a month or less for an hour. He has never called him anything, but he calls my boyfriend, who he sees frequently, papa. I'm fine with it because it is separate from dada. My son is only 18 months old, btw. Papa, Mama, and bye-bye are all the words he says.

[pauletoy]

My dad is Papa to our children. Why not get a picture of her father for her room/side of the bed, that way he is in her enviroment too.