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Kids these days are ruder than when we were kids.
Years ago, when I was a child, we addressed our parents' friends and our friends' parents as Auntie and Uncle so and so...It is a Chinese thing to address adults as aunts and uncles. In the western culture, we addressed them as Mr. and Mrs. so and so...
Years ago, when I was a child, we addressed our parents' friends and our friends' parents as Auntie and Uncle so and so...It is a Chinese thing to address adults as aunts and uncles. In the western culture, we addressed them as Mr. and Mrs. so and so...
Unfortunately, nowadays, kids call you by your first name, if they know your name. If not, they call you "hey, you.."
This morning, when I dropped off my daughter at school, her friend came towards me, and said, "hey, you, are you Emi's mom?" I was a bit taken aback by this rude kid, and for a moment, I didn't answer. He asked again, and I said "yes".
Today, "minding manners" is a foreign concept to kids. Kids' manners are worse than ever. But whose fault is it?
One reason is that kids are modelling bad behaviours around them, from parents to teachers to rappers to movie stars.
Kids are not born with good manners, they should be taught, discussed and practiced. It seems to me that manners and respect are not emphasized like it used to, both at home and at school. A lot of parents would rather be their kids' friends than parents. So kids get mixed messages.
Most people blame the media for kids' bad behaviour. There is so much foul language and improper gestures used in television shows, movies and even concerts and songs. Even though kids are supposed to watch kids' shows, it is hard for parents to steer kids away fron adults' shows, since there may be older children in the household.
I think everybody, that means parents, teachers, and the media, should work together to bring manners back. I wonder why bad manners was "in" and "cool" to begin with!
