Manners.

[nellikin]

I always get scared when parents reveal just how long it really takes to turn children into respecting adults (until they move out, I suspect) :sighsm: . Why isn't there some course or disclaimer warning people beforehand? Of course, I do have loads of fun with the kids too, so they're worth it in the long run

[Bella Fortuna]

Mine's quite generally respectful, usually - I'm just trying to help with the fine-tuning.

[nellikin]

Hatter - lost cause, I suspect. I went through years of being embarrassed/appalled/disgusted by my dad's behaviour (my all-time favourite is the fact that he accompanies public farts with a loud yelp. I always thought this was to cover up the fart sound, but it's so loud, it actually draws everyone's attention to his farting). I didn't try too much to correct it (my sister does it to this day) but have only learned to accept it since having kids. I guess I can try to train my kids but my parents are well and truly beyond my responsibility (dad's turning 80 next month) and his behaviour shouldn't really reflect poorly on me.

[Tigger]

I'm reactionary.

If they wait before trying to go inside then I let them go first.
If they try to push ahead I cut them off.

You can always tell if, when you start to hold a door open for someone, they aren't going to say "thank you". I hate it, and they get a face-full of door and a cheery "you're welcome".

Then there's the fact the I always feel compelled to say sorry if someone walks into me or some such.

[Trolldor]

I'm training myself not to be such a pushover. I no longer move aside for those wanky teenagers who travel in gangs on their scooters or bikes, and who feel compelled to shout "Boo!" at you.

One poor kid made the mistake of surprising me and ended up tripping on my fist.

[floppit]

It's a really quirky subject - I think when we start to look at other people's manners it makes us ruder, I honestly think that. I'm not even sure I could call my own manners genuine, if I'm at work I can't avoid knowing they will pay off, away from work it's about being who I'd like to be sometimes rather than who I really am - but then, part of me thinks that's what growing up is, to take a stride beyond what the 'first' reaction might have been.

My Sri Lankan friend once told me to stop saying thank you in Sinhala, he said it's ok in english because I'm english but in Sinhala, in their culture it's only said rarely when a person thinks the other cannot read the gratitude on their face. It's also impolite to say 'no' to a request because it implies it was unreasonable, better to say yes but add that there's a small problem (which then means no).

[FBM]

Manners are essential to civilized life. For example, when I visit someone else's home, I make sure to spit my tobacco juice in a dark corner, under a rug, or in a flower pot or something instead of on the carpet/floor/pet/unliked child. Nobody likes to see that stuff.

[Posse Comitatus]

This was taken last night (through the lens of some bizarre iPhone app) and posted on Facebook this morning (I'm on the right).

I can't begin to tell you how horrified I was at the elbows-on-tables situation, I was very conscious of it throughout the evening and what must (hopefully) have been my one momentary slip up was captured forever and there's very little I can do about it. A permanent monument to my shame. As you can see though my wine glass was empty by this point in the evening which may go some way to explaining it.


Lovely evening though.

[floppit]

Manners are essential to civilized life. For example, when I visit someone else's home, I make sure to spit my tobacco juice in a dark corner, under a rug, or in a flower pot or something instead of on the carpet/floor/pet/unliked child. Nobody likes to see that stuff.

You have no idea how well that goes with your avatar... or maybe you do!

Posse - I love the pic, but you naughty, naughty boy! Will your mother see it? Will you have to move now and change your name? You could make a documentary of your parents reaction...

[Tigger]

This was taken last night (through the lens of some bizarre iPhone app) and posted on Facebook this morning (I'm on the right).

I can't begin to tell you how horrified I was at the elbows-on-tables situation, I was very conscious of it throughout the evening and what must (hopefully) have been my one momentary slip up was captured forever and there's very little I can do about it. A permanent monument to my shame. As you can see though my wine glass was empty by this point in the evening which may go some way to explaining it.


Lovely evening though.

It's ok as they're ignoring you anyway.

[FBM]

Manners are essential to civilized life. For example, when I visit someone else's home, I make sure to spit my tobacco juice in a dark corner, under a rug, or in a flower pot or something instead of on the carpet/floor/pet/unliked child. Nobody likes to see that stuff.

You have no idea how well that goes with your avatar... or maybe you do!

Oh...I have a vague notion.

[Posse Comitatus]

Posse - I love the pic, but you naughty, naughty boy! Will your mother see it? Will you have to move now and change your name? You could make a documentary of your parents reaction...

I've never let my family have access to my Facebook details. Situations like this show me to have made clearly the right decision there. Fortunately however as pictured there everyone else was elbowing as well which luckily should mean that if I keep my head high and promise to never ever do it again I should be able to live down the shame without resorting to measures too drastic.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

I hate manners, it's just a shitload of things to get wrong.

[maiforpeace]

I hate manners, it's just a shitload of things to get wrong.