As noted in the photo, which was taken with my Coolpix 2100, it’s a bit gloomy out today. Welcome to Chicago.
We took the kids to see Brother Bear. The group of people next to us were ultra rude – talking loudly, making disgusting slurping noises, and whatnot. And no, it wasn’t just the children. The adults were just as bad … but it explains why their children are rude. Our kids were very well-behaved. They rarely spoke and when they did, they whispered. Neither one of them slurped and made loud noises either. So it can be done. But when you have rude role models, you grow up being a rude person yourself.
Case in point – we were at the library the other day and as I was browsing the new release section, I heard two boys talking quite loudly near the check-out desk. I was beginning to wonder why their parent wasn’t asking them to keep their voices down when their father started talking to them just as loudly. HELLO?! Ever hear of keeping your voice down in a library? Then the dad walked off and instead of following him, the one kid starts yelling at the top of his lungs “DAD! DAD! I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!!!”. I shhh’d them as loudly as I could, but I was too far away for them to notice.
So remember – if you want kids with good manners, exhibit some yourself.
That drives me nuts- so many parents these days don’t seem to want to take the time to bring their kids up to be well-behaved. And don’t even get me started on the parents who blame video games/movies/etc. for their kid’s bad behavior- yeah, like it had NOTHING to do with the fact that they were too busy to teach their kids right from wrong!
Sure if you want kids with good manners, exhibit some yourself — I can’t dispute the conclusion, Nicole.
But what constitutes rude manners is debatable. I used to perform a lot of my work for an employer at the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada. I would sit in the reading room, reviewing files quietly. However, the inquiries desk was in the same room and patrons would ask whatever questions they had at this desk, where employees would answer them — loudly. No one was ever discouraged from speaking up. At the geneology desk, it was even louder, often including (polite) shouting between staff and eldery patrons who were presumably hard of hearing.
My point being that it is no longer clear that being quiet in a a library is common sense good manners. I think many librarians would say that times have changed and that library patrons are expected to engage in various discussions using regular tone of voice rather than whispers, except maybe in some designated study areas.
So proper manners can change in time and what constitutes proper manners is debatable.