Monday, August 28, 2006

Respecting your elders.

So when I was a young lad, I was raised to respect my elders. That meant I said "yes sir" or "no ma'am." I didn't interrupt. I was polite. And I called adults Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so.

Was my generation -- I'm 37, btw -- the last to be collectively raised that way? Because I just don't see it anymore. Okay, I see it occasionally, but when I do see it I'm genuinely thrilled because it's such a rarity. Yes, there are still polite kids out there, but I don't think there's nearly the emphasis on specifically respecting your elders that there was for my and earlier generations. I never hear kids calling their friends' parents Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so. It's pretty much all first-name now (although I have managed to train some of Emma's friends to call me Mr. Wonderful).

The irony here is that this means my generation for some reason decided to not follow in our parents' footsteps, as they're our children I'm talking about. Not mine specifically, but you get my meaning.

I do seem to hear more and more people lament the general lack of manners and respect among the youth of today, so maybe it'll take a turn back the other way. I know Sam will get a heavy dose of manners and respect training, so to speak, as he gets older because his daddy is one who finds bad manners inexcusable.

What's your take? Peeps with kids? Peeps without? Do tell!

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