Do you leave your manners at home when you travel? I just had a quick Disney “sneak away” with my husband and was once again amazed. I mean I was aggravated at the general public in the park when I was there with the kids this past September, but did not really have the time to think about it. With trying to get enough water into the kids, shade-seeking activities, and trying to get a bang for our park ticket buck, there just was not time to think about the idiot who cut me off or the women screaming at her kid in front of the castle.
This time was different. I had time as I strolled with hubby. As I watched the lady who did not want to get on the bus at 10pm with her 2-year-old simply because she would not have a seat, I wanted to jump out, take her crying child on the bus with me and tell her we would meet her so she could sit her fat *** on the bus. Besides, every single person in line would have given up their seat so the child could get to bed at that late hour. My husband actually thought I was going to confront her, but Ignorance simply does not listen, does it? I just hoped the next bus would arrive soon. Thank goodness it did.
Then there was the family of five who cut me off as I was going into a ride, then cut me off again when we were moving to the next room of the venue. These were two adults with three children in their late teens, early 20’s. Now why would I have thought the three teenage lifeguards at our hotel would NOT have crossed in front of the elderly bartender schlepping a heavy cart with people like this raising their children?
My boys know that manners come first. I expect them to be gentlemen, and they are with very few reminders. My 8-year-old holds doors, picks up dropped belongings for total strangers, and even helps the usher at church pick up the discarded bulletins each Sunday.
Raising a healthy, well-mannered person does not take much when you think about it. It only takes the time to teach them what is right unlike the lifeguards. It only takes a little sacrifice on your part to keep your child healthy unlike the woman who could not sit down. It only takes making the choice to do the right thing in any and every situation unlike the family who cut me off. In other words, doing your job as a parent is what it takes to raise polite, healthy people who will make the world a better place long after you and I are gone.
This time was different. I had time as I strolled with hubby. As I watched the lady who did not want to get on the bus at 10pm with her 2-year-old simply because she would not have a seat, I wanted to jump out, take her crying child on the bus with me and tell her we would meet her so she could sit her fat *** on the bus. Besides, every single person in line would have given up their seat so the child could get to bed at that late hour. My husband actually thought I was going to confront her, but Ignorance simply does not listen, does it? I just hoped the next bus would arrive soon. Thank goodness it did.
Then there was the family of five who cut me off as I was going into a ride, then cut me off again when we were moving to the next room of the venue. These were two adults with three children in their late teens, early 20’s. Now why would I have thought the three teenage lifeguards at our hotel would NOT have crossed in front of the elderly bartender schlepping a heavy cart with people like this raising their children?
My boys know that manners come first. I expect them to be gentlemen, and they are with very few reminders. My 8-year-old holds doors, picks up dropped belongings for total strangers, and even helps the usher at church pick up the discarded bulletins each Sunday.
Raising a healthy, well-mannered person does not take much when you think about it. It only takes the time to teach them what is right unlike the lifeguards. It only takes a little sacrifice on your part to keep your child healthy unlike the woman who could not sit down. It only takes making the choice to do the right thing in any and every situation unlike the family who cut me off. In other words, doing your job as a parent is what it takes to raise polite, healthy people who will make the world a better place long after you and I are gone.
1 comment:
Amen and AMEN!!!
More and more when I hold a door open for a person approaching a door, they seem shocked that I've done it. Where we're stationed right now I've been exposed to even more rude people than usual - it's almost like they take pride in being HORRID to their fellow humans!
People thought I was crazy when the very first ASL sign I taught my daughter as a tot was "PLEASE". "Thank you" followed right after. But to this day she says them, and earns the reward of being treated better and often complimented by people in restaurants and stores who are accustomed to consumers being rude and snotty. Our great grandmas were right when they promised we'd draw more flies with honey!
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