The Polish Family | Mother, Father & Baby

’Mama, tata, ja - to rodzinka ma’’ (English: Mommy, daddy, me - that’s my family) are the words of a Polish song that fits perfectly to the theme of this article. So, what is a Polish family really like? Keep reading to find out!

POLISH PARENTS

Does Poland give citizenship by birth? Are Polish parents strict? How many children do Polish families usually have? How do you say mother in Polish and how do you say father in Polish? 

If you are interested in Polish culture, there are surely numerous questions you might want to ask about the specifics of Polish parenthood.

So let’s go through the basics - one thing at a time.

Polish citizenship is a right given at birth. So, if you are a child of a Pole, you have the right to Polish citizenship, a Polish ID number (PESEL) and every other right other Polish people enjoy. This, however, does not apply to foreigners born in Poland - so if you are not a child of a Polish person, you will need to meet other conditions to be eligible to apply for Polish citizenship.

As in all European countries, Polish families are not particularly big anymore. In the past century, it has become usual to have two kids, but families with an only child or three children are common as well. Families with more kids than that are becoming more rare, due to the change in the lifestyle of Poles living in their home country. A few centuries ago, it was more common to have four or more children, as times were tougher and not all of them survived childhood. Also, people used to live in homes, surrounded by family members. Now, it’s usually just the core of the family that lives together - and that is mother, father and child. 

So what is mother, father and child in Polish language?

Mother in Polish language is called matka, but is more commonly referred to as mom or mama, even if you are a grown up person, talking about your parents. Mamusia, mamunia are also frequently used. 

Father in Polish language is called ojciec, but is usually referred to as tata. Tatuś, meaning daddy, is also sometimes used.

 As for how to say child in Polish language - now, this has many more variations that deserve their own heading:

HOW TO COO TO BABIES IN POLISH

Babies in Poland are given all the love and attention of the whole family, even to the point of being spoiled at a young age - to an extent, of course. Baby showers, birthdays, Name days, International Children’s day - all of these are celebrated with the child in focus and if a Polish family has a young child, there will be lots to do all year round!  

Now, whether or not Polish parents are strict depends not on the culture, but on their particular upbringing. Some will be more traditional, religious and strict, while some will enjoy the modern approach to parenthood, giving their children more freedom to explore the world and make mistakes on their own. Yet one thing is for certain - things Polish parents say are to be respected and rarely questioned by Polish children. 

All of the early stages of a child in Polish are called dziecko: this goes for the word infant in Polish, baby in Polish as well as toddler in Polish. A baby girl in Polish is called dziewczynka, and a baby boy in Polish is called chłopczyk. Sometimes, the word dzidzia is used for a little baby in Polish language. 

And when talking to Polish children, especially very young ones, it is absolutely normal to coo, saying, for instance: 

• O, jaka piękna mała dzidzia! (Oh, what a beautiful baby in Polish language)
• No co, kochanie? (What is it, my loved one?)
• Jaka ty jesteś duża! (How big you are!) 

So, are you a child of Polish parents? What are some things that are specific to your family? Let us know and don’t forget to search the site for cool baby gifts - so that you are all set up for your next baby showers in Polish homes!