An Ignoble Experiment: [Parent Hacks] 1 new post in Parent Hacks

2008/08/20

[Parent Hacks] 1 new post in Parent Hacks

Hello, ignoble.experiment@arconati.us, and thank you for subscribing to Parent Hacks. Got a hack you'd like to share? Send it to hacks@parenthacks.com, along with your name and Web address (if you'd like us to link to you).

Basic manners: why have they changed so drastically? Talk amongst yourselves.

Tipnut passed along this link yesterday; basic etiquette lassons from the 1950's:

12 Rules of Etiquette For Children: Timeless Wisdom Collection

I was thoroughly shocked. Both by how old-fashioned some of the suggestions seemed (asking children to rise when an elder enters the room), and by how little most of today's little ones are taught the finer points of etiquette.

I've often thought about how, as a child, I was taught to call every adult by the title "Mr." or "Mrs." I was, in fact uncomfortable when an adult suggested I use his or her first name. Today, I'm the adult, and I feel uncomfortable when a child calls me "Mrs. Dornfest." Then again, it has only happened once.

How do manners change so drastically in a single generation? Should we teach our children more formal manners? Do you think parenting would be easier if basic etiquette were a standard part of the agenda?

Thank you, Tipnut, for the link. I can't wait to hear what folks have to say about this.