Addressing Older People

[winuxchrosh]

My parents taught us how to respect older people by addressing them correctly. So up until now that I'm nearing my thirties, I'm still addressing older people with Mr, Miss, or Mrs. What I'm not happy about is the kids of today. They would address old people like "dude" or "old man" which I think is impolite. How do we train these kids to respect older people?

[LA]

I think for the most part it is too late for the kids you are referring to. Their parents didn't bother to teach them any respect and I don't really think it is society's place to do so.

[Silva]

I agree with LA. The generation before this one was rude and allowed to be so in the interests of "children's rights" so now that they are parents they have passed this attitude on to their own children who think that everything is theirs by right and nothing should be earned, not even respect! I wish they were all like you, Win.

[TJakob]

Your children only learn respect if they are taught yes.  My son always addresses my close friends as Misses or Mr and if he does not know them sir or madam.  My dad instilled this on his children as I will with mine.  Most are not like us Win I agree.

[Silva]

Your children are a credit to you TJakob and I'm glad that there are still some of us left, including my own children and grandchildren. Unfortunately the media only seem to publicise the rude ones! I guess it's bad news that sells the most newspapers, as they say.

[Perfect7]

A lot of it depends on location/region as well. In the southern USA, where I live now, most of the kids are still taught to use "sir" and "ma'am" and put Mr., Mrs., or Miss before a name.

On the other hand, in the northeastern USA, where I grew up, it was already becoming rare 20 years ago.

[winuxchrosh]

Unfortunately the media only seem to publicise the rude ones!

I definitely agree with this. Many movies portray kids who disrespect their parents and they would do it too to other people. One example is latest Karate Kid movie, I don't like how they portray the kid in that movie.

[mousepad]

The wisest man who lived on earth once said, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it". Your parents taught you well, Win and Solomon was right.

Unfortunately though, the media is setting a bad example to the kids to the extent that it is more accepted by their peer groups to act like the "bad boys" rather than be the "good" ones as they are the ones being ridiculed.

[QueenB]

My boyfriend is so adorable! He's a lot more formal than I am. I'm not good at saying "Miss, Madame" etc. I personally just say "excuse me" to get someone's attention. My boyfriend was obviously taught well because he's always calling people "Miss" and "Sir." It's really cute :-*

[Klicky]

It frustrates me when my friends introduce me to their kids by my first name.  I do not let kids call me by my first name.  The first time the child actually addresses me by my first name, I say to them, "Hello Stevie.  You may call me Mrs. SoAndSo."  If they ask why their mom calls me Jane, I say, "Because she and I are both adults.  You are a child.  You may use my Mrs. name."