Should people be teaching their children manners & etiquette?

Question

I was raised knowing my pleases, thank yous, holding the door, excuse me (whenever needed); may I be excused?; apologies, common courtesies, and respect etc... I'm 25 and a little upset that people are slacking on this. Ill mannered and ungracious people are not something I like. I don't think I'm being old fashioned when there are still people using their manners.

Answer 1

YES!! I'm only 18 and I can't stand all these people running around with no manners. Little kids have NO respect for anyone and pre-teens act like they can do whatever they want in a more extreme way now 'n days.

Answer 2

Manners have flown out the window these days. The only place a child is going to learn any manners is from their parents, and as so many adults no longer have manners, in the US at least, where are they going to learn them. I agree it is nice to hear a thank you and to say excuse me when you burp, and you aren't being old fashioned, just wishing that people were more polite.
I do think that a lot of old etiquette is outdated. I really see no need for a man to hold a door open for me or pull out my chair at a restaurant. But some people find that a must. So, in today's society, what really is the correct thing to do and the correct things to teach your children?

Answer 3

Yes, parents should be teaching children manners and etiquette. One shouldn't be so preoccupied with etiquette (after all a fork is a fork), but manners are something that should be a required course for children.

I've seen so many little hellions running around-being rude and obnoxious-and their ignorant parent(s) just sits there being ignorant and I want to scream at them and ask them why they bothered to reproduce at all if that was the best they could come up with. A child is a reflection of its parents.

You're not old-fashioned. You simply want the good life the old-fashioned people had. If you find a portal through time that takes you back to that era, let me know...I want to go with you.

Answer 4

I'm 25 and have been raised to be a polite person too, so I guess it's no surprise if I concur with you that manners are becoming a lost art. However, I think that's because modern culture doesn't encourages manners, courtesy, or even bare civilness. All that's encouraged is to get a boatload of money and then spend it. And I personally don't think that that's a great way to spend an incarnation, sorry.

Answer 5

We ARE teaching our 2 year old, though she doesn't talk TOO much, so it's mostly by example at the moment. Both my husband and I were brought up to be respectful, and upon our entry into the military, this respect came easily for us. It is simply a part of our lives, and I hold other family members to it also when in front of our daughter.

I don't think it's old-fashioned, and I wish more people DID have manners and etiquette. Thank you for being one of the few who do.

Answer 6

Absolutely they should, but the best teaching is to lead through example and it seems there are some pretty poor examples these days. I teach my children manners but even more importantly I try to lead by example. I see no reason why the schools don't demand better manners either.

Answer 7

Yes, I believe in teaching manners to children.
I think people with manners are more successful in life. It's such an easy task to teach in everyday life.

Using manner in business relations are utmost importance.
Also, social manners are essential for respectful relationships.

Rude people are a real turnoff.

Answer 8

I agree with you 100%. It's a shame that people don't teach their children manners. The school district my mom works in is now doing "Character Building" with the elementary kids to teach them manners.

Answer 9

I am HUGE on this and determined that my children have gracious manners!! I agree that people are not holding their children to very high standards, these days, when it comes to manners. We are becoming to indulgent of our children, our society....if you ask me.

My 2 year old says please and "of course" and is incredibly polite. People are always a little astounded by this. My mother says I was polite at 2, too!! It's not astounding that she acts this way...it's manners!! Jeez....

My older sons come home with friends....and some of them are the rudest creatures I have ever met! It drives me nuts!!

Answer 10

I agree with you on this. Manners teach us how to act in society and show us how to treat each other as well. This is why you have so much domestic violence and child abuse. No one took the time to teach these people such things as patience,cooperation,and teamwork when they were little. We have grown into a society of me,me,me.