And Who Killed Excuse Me?
Do you people watch? No I am not talking about stalking for you all that are illegally engaging in this act. I am talking about good old fashion people watching or for the most posh group, let’s call it observing.
Have you noticed the decline in our youth wardrobe? Is there a special store in the mall that is hidden from anyone over the age of twenty-five? This is a store where you can buy your trousers too big, underwear that already looks like they have skid marks, crouch level skirts, and dirty sneakers that look like they are starting an outbreak of athlete’s foot.
When you walk up to this door what do you think the secret code word to get in is?
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Knock! Knock!
Who There? (Yes, I used broken English on purpose.)
“It is I want to be a loser with my pant falling off my butt, cannot wait to distort my face, sport smelly hair, I don’t want a real job ever guy.”
Or
“You know it is me, like I want to dye my hair red so that I look like an unintelligent version of Elmo with a short skirt, too tight top and complain about older guys hitting on me until I can get a job making minimum wage at a fast food place and work there until my parent give up me going to college and I marry one of the loser guys shopping in your store right now.”
Yo That,
And the door opens…… There goes another child… Lost and destined for GREATNESS (NOT!)
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Here is my problem with this generation. They are the generation that has broken up the happy marriage of Please and Thank you. And though I have no proof, I think they killed Excuse Me too. And there are rumors going around they are holding Gratefulness, Hardwork, Intelligence, and Responsibility hostage as well.
I thought that Please and Thank You was a great couple. I love them. I grew up with them and they always helped me better my life. For those of you who have forgotten who they are, I would like to refresh your memory. You might have to go back awhile if you have older children or you might even have to go back to your childhood to recall this great couple.
Do you remember back in the day just before Moses was born?
As a child, you would walk up to an adult, if you need something. You would first acknowledge our good friend Excuse Me.
Excuse Me. May I have …… Please? Will you help me Please?
When the adult accommodated you, then Please’s wife would come in.
You would say Thank you very much.
Over the years Please and Thank You begin to age. Excuse Me started to show a few gray hairs as well. Please, Thank You and Excuse Me were around so long they were sure they would become a classic like the Beagles, Lionel Richie, and Dolly Parton.
But a new generation was born to privilege and forgot about them. Please and Thank You were put in a senior citizen home, you know the one where no one visits the residents. And Excuse Me was used up for the wrong reason like talking back to their parents. When he tried to protest, I think they just murdered him in cold blood. Well, if you think there is no evidence that he is gone, then go into a store and watch as people pass by, bump in to you and not a sound is mumbled. Or sit at a table with our youth and listen to them let out a huge burp, and Excuse Me is nowhere in sight. Look around, you will never see him walk up.
While it is comical to think about Thank You, Please, and Excuse Me being aging people. What is not comical is how in our society, we take for granted how important those three little phases are to our lives.
So if you have a child or the influence over someone who has forgotten how important thank you, please and excuse me could be to their interactions with others, a little reminder is needed.
About Cynthia Tolbert-Wilson
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I totally agree! I am stunned by the number of people I encounter on the daily who fail to say please and thank you. What’s most disturbing to me is being out in the dating world and coming across so many ill-mannered *grown* men who believe that feminism prevents them from holding a door open. Um, HUH. It’s called manners!
Hi Melia,
There are a lot of people without manners. I often wonder what their home life was like or what in life for them changed. I am not in the dating world but there are a large share of marriend men that are without manners and basic respect for women as well. Melia, thank you so much for visiting RMC.
Cynthia
I LOVE this post and the way you described Please, Thank you and Excuse me! That’s one of my biggest pet peeves when people bump into me and give me a dirty look like it’s my fault they bumped into me. It’s funny how they know all the lyrics to a rap song but don’t have common courtesy. They sag their pants and wonder why people look at them like they’re trash. Or the girls wear shirts that barely keep their boobs in and skirts shorter than their underwear and wonder why people think they’re easy. These kids walk around advertising their lack of morals and stupidity and wonder why no one respects them.
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Hi Dee! Thanks for visiting RMC and for your comment. This was one of my favorite posts too. I’m grateful that my children are still young and that I don’t have to worry about the teenage years for some time to come. Have a great day!
Heather
I love this article. It made me laugh as I was sitting here reading, my 3 year old came up to me and yanked something from my lap. I did not realize how inadequate children are when it comes to manners. As a parent, I guess I take it for granted that my child is as polite as I am but obviously he is not. You know how we are born with some skills, I think I look at my children and then they will automatically have those skills. Thank you for making me aware of this.
Yolanda
Yolanda,
Thank you for visiting RMC and for your comment. I agree with your statement that a lot of parents probably take for granted that their children are as polite as we are, but in the end, they are not. It takes constant reminding to instill manners into children. I even do it with kids who are not mine. If I’m having a play date or I’m at a party and I’m helping a child who doesn’t use their manners, I will say, “What do you say?” and then it will be said. I even have to remind my teenage nieces and nephews to use their manners more often. It’s a constant struggle.
Keep coming back.
Heather
It is sad how this generation of youths are turning out. But like you said, if everyone who reads this commits to teach and influence every youth, teenager and child in our circle of influence to bring back these words it will cause a ripple effect and positive change.
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This is such a great post, we should all share it as much as we can.
God bless you Heather and Cynthia!
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Hi Ugochi,
Thank you so much. I am committed to making sure that my child is a polite member of society. There are so many children that lack respect for adults. I don’t blame them totally but I would like to see a change. I love the old fashion values of respecting your parents and as they say in the south, your elders. Thank you for being committed to our cause and God Bless you as well.
Cynthia
Cynthia,
This is a really good post about children that are less than perfect in the manners department. I will have to say that you are a really good mother and I am so please that our child is polite and really wants to be a good person. That is reflected in your efforts as a mother to raise a healthy, happy and polite child.
Bob
Hi Bob,
Thank you so much. It is important that our child grows up to be a happy healthy adult and I don’t beleive that she can do that if she lacks basic skills such as manners.
Cynthia
What a great post and reminder to us with youth. I try to remind my daughter regularly that politeness and manners is not used as often as it used to be and that when we practice manners and politeness, respect and gratitude follows. = )
Irish
Hi Irish,
Thank you so much. One of the things they focus on in my child school is manners. When I first say that as an actual course, I thought why are they wasting my money but as time goes on and I see that she makes a conscience effort to go out of her way to be kind, to say thank you and please, I look at her with pride and gratitude that she has learn the important of good manner not only in her home environment but the education system has taken the time to also look as this as a valuable skills to learn starting at the age of 4.
Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to see you again.
Cynthia
Hi Irish! Thanks for visiting the site. It is a great post – my husband and I are huge advocates of manners and respect. I’m constantly amazed in my interaction with children, even my nieces and nephews who are older, where these two things are all too often forgotten. It’s a great feeling when I’m told that our children are very polite because we work hard to be consistent with our reminders to say please, thank you, excuse me, et. al. This taught and learned behavior helps a child to grow into the respectful young adults we hope they will be.
Heather
Heather,
Your children are the angels of manners. You have done a wonderful job in helping them to develop good manners and I am sure they will grow up to be wonderful adults.
Cynthia
Hi Anita,
How are you? I agree with you. It is one of my biggest pet peeves that children today are so disrespectful. I don’t think alot of them understand how important these three phrases are to having healthy live skills when they are older. Thank you so much for reading the article.
Cynthia
Please, Thank You and Excuse Me are still alive & well at my house.
I don’t have any kids, but I will be on the lookout for occasions to help younger people find them.
Thank you.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for the reply as well as looking at for other young people who could use a little mentoring in that department. Cynthia
I totally agree and make an effort to constantly remind my kids to use their manners. it drives me insane when i hear kids being disrespectful or not using their manners when they should.
Cynthia, what a great article! You’ve hit the nail on the head! Manners aren’t used nearly as often as they should be. It’s unfortunate. I’m a huge advocate of please, thank you and excuse me and try to reinforce this with my kids on a regular basis. Respect is crucial as children get older.
Miss you guys!
Heather
Heather,
Thank you so much. It is nice to put out something every once in a while that it worthy of reading. Have a fun day school shopping. We are off to the Onion Festival with our little pumpkin. Two more sleeps until school starts.
Cynthia
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