my friends in real life and internet friends all say good things about me yea but they also call me names like “buddy” or smol stuff like that, and i appreciate it sure but i also think they treat me like as if i was a child or a smaller person but i don’t know why!!! i can ask them but i don’t want to offend them or make them feel bad so that’s why i’m asking here, thanks!!!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re going to have to actually talk to your friends.
Depending on your level of discomfort, you can do it in a group setting, “Hey, how come you guys always use belittling language towards me, it hurts.”
Or, you can ask face to face, but that might be more stressful, or it might not, I cannot speak for you or your friends.
To this point, not being direct and being overly concerned with what other people think could even be directly driving OP’s issue