Where Has Respect Gone?

This generation of parents are not teaching their kids respect. The parents of this generation feel betrayed and pushed to the forefront of responsibility without being properly prepared themselves. It just trickles down from us to our children and respect has been thrown out the window.

So many parents spend so much time working and shipping their kids to daycare or babysitters they aren't learning manners and such. It is sad too. My opinion is the parents are to blame, they need to make more time for their kids and teach them how to be respectable.

I am lucky with my kids - oh no, it's me being a good parent! There's no need to swear at all and there is no reason not to be polite. Kids follow examples from their elders. What you say about respecting elders, no matter how grumpy they are, should also work the other way. Children are not going to learn how you are meant to behave if their elders do not show them respect. I have honestly never heard any of my children's friends swear. My oldest is 8, he has once asked me what was wrong with saying certain words and that is fine as long as he doesn't actually use them in conversation. I have had children at my house who don't say please and thank you but my children do (my youngest is 2 and doesn't get away with not saying please and thank you so I don't expect older children not to) I wonder why parents don't teach their children manners but I think some just don't have manners themselves. The fact that they don't swear is a good thing but it doesn't cost anything to teach a kid good manners. My 8 year olds best friend is not very well mannered but when his step-dad picks him up, he'll always tell him to say thank you to me and he does. Maybe if more people could do simple tasks like that, children would have more respect. But, as I say, if adults don't show any respect to each other then how are children supposed to learn?

Parents are not teaching their kids. Parents are all at work and the kids are raising themselves off of video games and television. I know there are a few out there that still are home, but I believe it is the exception to the rule. I work at a school. We try to emphasize respect, but we feel as if we are beating our heads against a wall.

sorry to say its the parents my girls are 15 an 13 an they say yes mam an no sir an I have been told by thier teacher they are very polite an one of my daughters friends who I would like to tear her hair out is so rude when she comes over an the other i heard her talking to her dad an she was telling him its this way or no way then asked if he understood her so last nite i told her she can come as long as she shows me the same respect I would give her I will not be rude to her an ifshe is the same way she said she understood but we will see

I agree with you! When I was a kid, it was Mrs. and Mr. so and so and no one had a first name unless it came after Aunt of Uncle. We didn't ride out bikes on other people's lawns or up and down their driveways unless they said it was ok but, we had to ask first and, we still wouldn't have used a lawn, only a driveway. We said please and Thank you and I'm sorry. We watched our language as curse words were something that adults earned the right to use if they chose to but kids weren't allowed such a vocabulary. We were helpful, kind and appreciative, not to mention a little afraid of the power that adults have. I hate the disrespectful way kids are these days. My hubby and I are always talking about how our kids will be different some day. They will know manners and be well behaved. I know that every child has a bad day but, when a child has a bad day every day...that is no longer a bad day. That is just a bad child. So, let me tell you a story and I will try to make it short. There is a bullying little brat of maybe about 8-10 years of age 2 houses down my street. That kid has no respect for other people's property or adults or anything. One day, he was at my other neighbor's (2 houses down the other way) because his parents asked my friendly neighbor to watch him and his sister while they did something. So, she was trying to entertain them along with her two kids. She offered them something to drink and a snack and Brat (we'll just call him that as that is exactly what he is) asked what she had. She told him and he said, "well with choices like that, I don't want anything". Never mind a "no thank you. I am fine." So, he was playing with their Wii and she asked him how he liked it and he said I like my XBox better. He continued to be difficult to please and then they went home when their mom and dad got back. So, the dad asked my friend how they were and she said the girl was easy going and really content and seemed to have a good time but, his son was a bit difficult and she couldn't seem to please him. Brat's Dad then asked, "Well, you know why that is, right?" To which my friend said, "no, I don't." Brat's Dad then said, "He is gifted!" WTF is that? Gifted? Is that a new term for kids who are just little a$$holes? So, from now on when someone cuts me off in traffic, instead of saying to myself, "A$$hole" I am going to glare at them while shaking my head with my hands in the air in the WTF position and mouth the word "Gifted". So, that is my story and my opinion on kids today! And, sorry for the expletives!

I wonder the same thing actually... My son has never said a swear word or anything like cause he knew better.. But just over this last winter I let him join hockey and noticed that the kids there have no respect for anyone. I've noticed my was starting to be the same way.. What really got me though was that the parents were there and didn't do anything about how there kids were acting.. It was almost like what there kids were doing was perfectly fine.. anyway later into the season my son got to a point where he thought these kids can do what they want I am going to also.. Well for me I won't let my son be a snotty little boy and he knew this..I told him he rather straighten up or i was taking him out of hockey well he didn't think I was, but I did.. I think the less kids are around these type of other kids the better it is.. My son did straighten up pretty fast he don't swear or anything like that, I will admit during that hockey season he did use the words a few times... But it wasn't only the fact he wasn't behave himself this youth hockey program was so backwards the day before a game we knew where to go.. Real nice huh!

I totally agree with you on this. I have seen so many kids that are just plain rude and disrespectful it makes me sick. I seriously don't think the parents are teaching their kids any manners whatsoever otherwise these kids wouldn't have such potty mouths. My son is 5 and if I hear a swear word out of his mouth he either gets a flick on the cheek (something he absolutely hates and it works) or I make him lick soap and that doesn't go over well with him. It depends on how bad the word is. Kids learn from their parents before anyone else and if all they hear is swearing and disrespectful behavior then thats how they are going to act.

Nine times a of ten, if a child is cursing in front of an adult, that means that their parents curse at them, so they see nothing wrong with it. I can not stand when parents get angry with their children for cursing and all the while they are cursing at them. Children do what they see, much more than what they are told. I have noticed that children do not have the manners that they use to. But, neither do their parents. I deal with adults all the time that do not say thank you and it always catches my attention because my mom was so strict about manners when I was growing up. It is really sad, but if you don't teach a child, they will not know to teach their own and the cycle will continue.

Hello minnie, I certainly think that kids nowadays are "too pampered". I've been to malls and the likes and I will see spoiled-brat children demanding this and that and screaming at the top of their lungs and all their parents did was just keep quiet or make them subside their screaming by getting and buying for them whatever they need. I think that's a wrong move and in this society, I think that parents need to be more "firm" and educate their children. I know certain children are hyper-active and truly naughty and notorious; but it's best to curb their notoriousness before it gets worst. If I were to have a child whom is so hyper-active, I would churn his "energy" into doing something positive like joining "Kinder-Golf" or something like that. I think efforts should be made into curbing today's kids in society. Have a nice day there ;)

All kids pick up swearing, at the minute my eldest who is 16 seems to find it highly amusing to teach my 2 year old the odd word. All my lot have their manners and respect, it just boils down the them being shown, if the parents do not use their manners or have any repect, then neither will the children. If kids come to my house and do not say thank you I always point it out to them and tell them that if they do not use their manners then they will get nothing else at my house!

Minnie I totally agree with you. While I wasworking in the library I found a whole shelf full of books that were out of order. I was tired and let out a couple of damns under my breath. A lady heardit and reportedme to my manager.she made me apologize to the lady and her son.Okay I did that but mypoint is that that same little nine year old had just a few minutes earlier ripped off a string of cusswords that put my one damn to shame. I had not believed that a ten year old could know all those really awful swear words. Andhe is not the only one either. A whole bunch of youngster come into the library and use cuss words that would bother even a sailor. What are their parents doing about this? I wonder if the parents swear like that also and in front of the kids that they probably scold for using the same words.

kids spend most of their time staying out of home. and their behaviour get affected by instances that happens to them during these hours. secondly now a day due to impact of media, openness and....... it is really difficult if not impossible to teach them to behave well with others specially with elders. it is a trend, whether we like it or not we will have to accept this. as nothing in this world is complete in itself. lets hope with time our kids gain maturity and lead a happy and responsible life in future.

The parents are not teaching their children anything! However, you can demand respect from these little hoodlums! Remind them to say thank you and please, and when they break your things, hold them responsible. They are in your kingdom when they are visiting your home. I had many kids at our home when my kids where still living at home. I demanded respect by doing these things, it didn't take them long before the older ones were coaching the younger ones on what the house rules were. I also did fun things with the neighborhood kids so they did not want to be 86'd from our home. And you know, we usually did something fun every weekend and not one parent ever called me to meet me or send food or even towels when we went to the lake to swim. Eventhough, I required each kid to call and ask their parents permission to go on our family outing. That told me a bunch about the parents of today.

Minnie it is getting worse every Day When I hear a 4 year old coming out with the F word I feel sick to the Stomach and even more Sick when the Parent does not rectify the Child As for please and thank you well that is another thing that seems to be "old fashioned" It is hard to bring your Children up decent when they mix with Children like that but you have to keep at them and explain to them about these words that is what I did with my 2 ( they are Adults now) Also keep at them for the Please and thank you and that As for breaking things in your House I personally would not let the Child in again if the Child did not apologize

You can't blame everything on the parents that work. My mother worked, she was divorced when we were young. We were taught manners by our dad while he still lived with us. I still do not call people older than me by their first name. If a child calls me by my first name, I will gladly correct them, politely of course. No teen is going to call me by my first name. Where is respect? It went out the window when parents stopped caring what their kids were doing. If I can say "please" and "thank you" or "excuse me", I expect everyone else to do the same. People just don't seem to care anymore. Not only is it up to the parents to teach their kids, it is also up to the teachers. Where are their role models? If the parents swear like sailors, then they should expect their kids to do the same thing.

All comes down to the way the Parents are teaching their kids. I so agree with your comment though because I am appalled at how many don't say thank you, or please either. My son forgets from time to time but I am always reminding him to remember to say please and thank-you - I know when it comes to children you need to keep repeating it and reminding them to say it and then it becomes automatic (most times). But you know it's not only children that are being disrespectful as I see it in adults too. I caught the bus yesterday and there was an elderly lady in a wheelchair waiting at the bus stop too. YOu would think everyone would wait until she got on the bus first, but NO, everyone else jumped ahead except myself and another young girl who waited until she got on the bus, out of respect and courtesy. I shook my head and couldn't believe it - I was taught to always give your seat up for older adults if your using public transport, to let the physically disabled go ahead in everything I do, to hold the door open for someone else coming in or going out, to say my please and thank-you's, it really isn't hard to teach nor do.

I know what you mean kids are getting more disrespectful each day. Kids don't even say thank you or please. I admit that I curse sometimes but I do have respect for my elders. Because I see it this way, if you want respect from someone you need to respect that person so that they can give you the same level of respect.

We seldom if ever curse in front of our children. My 9 year old son frequently comes home from school upset over the language that he hears the other elementary school children using. I think it is cute in an odd way that the foul language upsets hims so deeply. However, I am grateful that he realizes it is not acceptable. One time a few years back I was driving with my son and 3 of the neighborhood kids to take them to the park or somewhere and one of the girls said "You don't swear like my Mom does, I don't like it when she swears"It made me sad. I suspect alot of kids hear this language in their own homes and are repeating it. Sad indeed!

I couldn't agree with you more. Its not just the kids. It seems that a majority of the population has a lack of respect, lack of manners and lack of interest in anything other than themselves and their own wants.