About a year ago, I was shopping at Old Navy and upon arriving at the fitting room, this cheerful middle-aged woman greeted me with an uber friendly, 'Would you like to try those on, love?' I smiled big, felt warm inside and said yes. She showed me to a room and that was that. When I left, despite not finding anything to purchase, she said, 'Have a good day, love!' and I just felt so special. So much so, that I had to tell her that her cheerful demeanor and pet names made me feel happy and that it was really nice to come across someone so sweet and friendly in retail.
I personally love it when people use pet names; love, sweetie, hon, beautiful, etc., even if I don't know them. It just makes me feel nice inside and who doesn't love a friendly person?
That said, I know some people that hate when others use pet names (a friend said, 'I don't know them, why are they calling me pet names reserved for special people in life?').
So sound off: love or hate?
So sound off: love or hate?
(Photo of Peanut & I, December 2012).
12 comments
I don't mind it from people who are older than I am (I'm 30) but when it's like a 16 year old, super peppy high school girl calling you "hon" or "sweetie" every five minutes, it gets really annoying...
Love - Love, hon
Hate - Kiddo, "good girl" (not a child or a dog here people!)
Time and a place right. Boss calling you love = creepy to me. Retail associate calling you love = sweet, endearing.
I agree, it kind of depends on who is calling me the pet name and also how it is said. In your scenario with the Lady at Old Navy, I would have felt the same way you did. Maybe because she was older and it made you feel like she was a Mother Figure of sorts. BUT, when it is said in a condescending tone (e.g. "Oh, I already told you that we don't have that sweater in your size, Sweetie"), I don't like being called a pet name. It makes it sound like they think I am the Village Idiot or something. Overall though, I agree that I love friendly people and in most cases when people refer to me as a pet name, I do appreciate and like it!
http://welcometoplanetmelmac.blogspot.ca/
@Ashley: I sooooo agree!! That's a great point, a 16 year old doing that IS kind of annoying, lol.
@MelMac: !!! LOL!! The 'Village Idiot'?! TOO FUNNY!! I'm in stitches over here! Love it! Great points all around!
Generally I don't mind it. Though my (new) supervisor at work calls all of us pet names (we are an all female staff for what it's worth). She'll call me Doll, Hun, Love. I find it very unprofessional. She's my supervisor. Not my friend. Even if she was my friend, I still don't think it's appropriate in a work environment.
@Miko: Agreed on the workplace part.
I do get called Noodles at work because of my curly hair, which I like.
And Miss. I'll ALWAYS like to be called miss over ma'am.
I will admit I am very guilty of doing this... I work in an office during the day, I never use terms of endearment... but I also bartend at night I think I use it so much more because It helps me to stay in a positive friendly mood... especially when I can't remember someones name.
Amie
I don't mind so much when women do it, unless they are a teenager or obviously much younger than me. It really bothers me when males call me "Sweetie/sweetheart" "babe" or "hon". The only time it doesn't phase me too much when a male says something like that is when it's an elderly man because they use "dear" or "darling" and I don't think that's so bad...but "babe" "hon" or "sweetie" is just kind of rude and insulting, I think.
My former boss (male) use to call me darling. It depends on my mood that day whether I like it not (eg. bad day = eyes rolling lol).
Have a great weekend :)
Honestly, the only group that can get away with it with me is women age 50+. Or my close friends. I call my close friends sweetie or doll sometimes and I obviously don't mind if they do it to me as well because I find it a term of endearment if we know each other! But if it's a man I don't know well, it's creepy. If it's a woman who's close in age to me or younger that I don't know, it's condescending (in many cases). There are a few exceptions to the rule, but those you can usually tell by personality (kind of like the woman you wrote about!). I used to be a waitress in college and it drove me mad, because men would do it to me all. the. time.
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