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Wednesday, November 19

Mr. and Mrs?

I am a pretty passionate person. I have strong beliefs, some would say bordering on extreme. I disagree with the extreme part. I would say that I am "Old School". For some reason last night at "Recipe Club", where all manner of controversial topics spring up, we discussed how children should address adults.{ this article expresses some of my arguments} I believe children should address adults by Mr.,Miss, Brother, or Sister and then the last name.

One of my friends said that she did not want to be addressed this way to which I replied{way too vehemently}

"I don't care! I am trying to teach them the difference between adults and peers, of which you are not, they have no reason to address you as a peer. They will not be having a play date with you. You, however have ten to twenty years on them and have more life experience that should be acknowledged with a certain amount of respect, thus the title."

She then said with a look of shock and a sly smile then indicated some humor probably directed at me and my big mouth," Wow, you are so passionate about this." " Yes, I guess I am." I replied with a laugh.

The more I thought about this the more I started to question myself. Is this really that big of deal. There are so many things that I tell my kids that others either disagree with or are totally oblivious to. { I could do a whole book on this subject} Maybe I should just relax more, kick back and let the chips fall where they may.... Then I thought maybe I am offending others with this extreme belief.

So the question is this; I am I teaching my children to disrespect others when they say ,"Oh , I would prefer them to call me Jane."
I say, "No, they have to call you Miss Smith." ?

I mean what am I trying to teach? RESPECT. It does get a little dicey. Do I change my way of parenting or my belief as to where respect starts, to accommodate each individual?

I feel that the past several generations have been losing a lot of respect and admiration for their elders. Their opinions are not sought out in fact many times they are thought to be out of touch and this in my opinion, has led to the entitlement problem with our youth. Oh my gosh, I am feeling a soap box under my feet. I will stop. Don't even get me started on this entitlement thing { I battle this with my own kids}....whew, it throws me right over the edge!

1 comments:

Suzie Soda said...

I am one of these elders now...I will respond to most anything. But you can make your kids call me Sis Romans......or MIss Suzie :) I go crazy on the entitlement thing too Respect is good. But I better never catch you calling me Sis Romans.....then I would really feel old in my Coldwater Creek Duds.

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