I have taught my kids to answer adults with " **Yes sir/ma'am** " as both a
sign of respect, and as confirmation that they were actually listening.

I'm wondering if there's an equivalent in Japanese. My gut says

  * 「 **わかりました** 」 is both fine and acceptable, but lacks any real element of respect.
  * 「 **了解（です）** 」 seems too stiff and/or "military".
  * 「 **承知しました** 」・「 **かしこまりました** 」 seem too "service industry" for kids to be using.

Is there something else that children use? Is my gut feeling wrong about any
of the above? Or is this a social "level" that just isn't taught to Japanese
children?

Here are a couple articles, though admittedly they are aimed at adults in the
workplace, so not sure if it's also applicable to children.

  * [「わかる」を敬語で表す言葉とは](https://careerpark.jp/55058)
  * [「分かる」の正しい敬語の使い方とNG例【尊敬語・謙譲語】](https://careerpark.jp/34418)
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question
expressions keigo
Equivalent of "Yes sir/ma'am" for children
I teach in several different elementary schools in Japan, and there is a whole
slew of language that children are taught to use as they go through their day.
But whereas in English, words like "ma'am" or "sir" are necessary to
distinguish that someone is being polite, the very nature of formal vs.
informal speech patterns in Japan make politeness (or excessive casualness)
obvious.

There is no "more polite" version of わかりました necessary, as a response to being
asked to do something, because the formality of the word is built into the
**ます** form.

The use of a given teacher's family name and 先生 generally replace the need for
"sir" or "ma'am" in a school setting. Outside of school, words like JACK
suggested, お兄さん or お姉さん are sometimes used, but generally simply using polite
forms of speech are enough.

If a teacher made a request and the student replied with わかった, it might strike
someone as too informal (depending on the school... I have some fairly relaxed
coworkers).

Common examples of things kids are taught to say during a school day include:

  * answering questions from the teacher, or responding to their name being called by first saying はい! in a clear voice.

  * knocking at the door, opening and saying 失礼｛しつれい｝ **します** 。 before addressing the teacher or requesting something from the people in the teachers' office.

  * saying 失礼 **しました** 。before closing the door to the office after their business is done.

again, it's this ending that shows the children are speaking with respect.
This is the Japanese equivalent of English speaking kids needing to use words
like "sir" or "ma'am".
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answer