Manners exceed more than just please and thank you, or holding the door open for someone, etc. Manners include things like closing your mouth when you're eating, and not talking when you're eating. It includes keeping your elbows off the table when eating as well. It includes chivalry, not slurping your food, holding a fork properly and using a napkin. Don't interrupt people when they're talking, listen when someone is talking to you, etc. Manners are pretty basic things, and in my house they were practically drilled into my head every day.
When I was younger my mother had a little diddy she would rattle off every time my brother or I had our elbows on the table.
Mable, mable,
while you're able,
get your elbows off the table !
This is not a horses stable,
but a dignified dining room table.
If we continued to put our elbows on the table after she had told us about 3 times, she would threaten to stab our elbows with a fork. Which hurts, by the way. When my brother and I were rude we would be given time outs, or we wouldn't get dinner. My dad, being a tad old fashioned, even threatened to use his belt on me once.(... what can I say, I was a bad kid.) At the time, I hated it. I didn't understand that manners are crucial, even in today's society. However, now that I'm older and more mature, I understand why manners matter, and think that it is funny, and a little sad when I go to other's houses and see their atrocious manners.
My parents might have pissed me off a lot when I was younger, however now I am extremely grateful to them for the manners they have instilled in me. I have a better chance of getting jobs and into universities because when it comes to interview time, I can easily fly through them, not worried at all about how they view the way I am conducting myself. :)
I agree with you, manners are important, and I feel as though they aren't as important to most people as they once were. I think that people should try to remember what's polite and what's not more often.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, it's really sad that most of us are shocked when people do crazy things like open doors for us. I work in retail and it is hoenstly surprising when people say 'please' and 'thank you', and I almost fall over if they ask me how I am. I think you hit on a problem of society today and people could fix it so easily if they were willing to.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this is well written too, and I love the smiling toasties hehe :) but yes, manners are important. I know you talked a lot about manners at the table, but what about how you talk to your parents, or authority? it's insaaaane how rude some people are - and to others, like let's say the cashier at Tim Hortons, that drives me crazyyyy.
ReplyDeleteNow adays it seems like it's painful for some people to be polite. Would it kill them to say thank you or even SMILE? Manners are so important because when you meet someone you never know what kind of impact they are going to have on your life. You never know; that friend of your mom's that you just met and were rude to could need someone to work for her or something, Guess who she's NOT going to consider?
ReplyDeleteI agree! I thought that everyone was taught manners as a child, but as I walk around the halls of highschool, take notice of people at restuarants, coexist with people in malls, amusements parks, sports facilities, banks, grocery stores, etc… I’ve come to realize that no everyone has the same standard of respect for their selves and others.
ReplyDeleteI am extremely grateful for the way I was raised. Although the expecations were high for a young, energetic kid to sit still, with their legs crossed, shoulders straight and elbows off the table, never failing to say please and thank you in a voice exceeding that of an indoor level, they have had an enormous impact on the type of teenager I am. I also predict, that through witnessing my parents communicate with various people in the public I will learn from their manners and act similarly.
I appreciate the imporatance my parents placed on teaching my brother and I proper etitiquette as it has yieled many comments from teachers, coworkers, neighbours, friends of theirs, etc. commending on being well mannered. In fact, in at least one incidident my father recived the compliment from a stranger, that my brother and I are the “most well mannered siblings” she’d “ever witnessed”.
All I have to say is: “Thanks Mom & Dad, I guess manners are as important as you always said”.
Ps. That “Mable, mable” thing is quite clever & made me laugh!
* not exceeding
ReplyDelete