Your Mind Your Body

As I watch Joe Wilson, Serena Williams, & Kanye West, I cannot help but wonder, what has happened to good old-fashioned manners? As parents, we often find ourselves striving to instill respect and common courtesy in our children. Yet, it seems that we have taken a detour on the road to good manners.

On a daily basis, we may come across a person speaking loudly on the cell phone while on the elevator. We see drivers cutting others off in the middle of rush hour traffic. We may even pass our own neighbors without merely acknowledging their presence. The list of instances where we come across people behaving in discourteous ways seems endless.

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have taken to heart that it is better to care only about oneself, even at the expense of others. I believe that we, as a society, have forgotten what it is really like to feel connected to those around us. Sure, it might be tempting to write this off as a problem with our youth. In this manner, adults can shrug their shoulders and pass judgment without taking any personal responsibility for what is happening.  But are these social ills really just about our youth? Obviously not.

Children learn by example and what do they see around them…adults behaving poorly. Little league parents are yelling at umpires. Guests are attacking each other on “talk shows.” Even the act of making a “booty call” has infiltrated our everyday language. What is the underlying message that our children are receiving? Could it be that we are telling them that other people do not matter by the way we are acting?  I believe the answer is an undeniable “Yes!”

What do we do? How can we change the tone of our relations to the point that our children will grow to love, respect, and care about their fellow community members? One organization, The Foundation for a Better Life (values.com), is dedicated to teaching the values that make a difference in our communities. We have to make this kind of courteous behavior a priority, even if it means that we take the time to say a kind, supportive word to a server in a restaurant who is having a stressful day or to let someone skip in front of us if they are in a hurry. Only by truly connecting with others in a genuine, caring way can we forge a sense of community and build a strong web that can instill and support good, old-fashioned values.

Filed under: Children, Lifestyle & Behaviors, Parenting, Relationships, Stress, Women, Work/Life