• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Are Our Kids Being Taught Manners?

May 3, 2011 by Dani Alpert Leave a Comment

A few posts ago, entitled, Losing It, I wrote about my boyfriend’s son’s friend, Robert, who asked me for cash so he could get a snack when we were at the movies. I thought this was a case of one kid being rude. I was wrong. I’m starting to think that it might be an epidemic that’s infecting our children.

A similar situation happened two days later with another child. My boyfriend took his son and his son’s friend, Peter, to a Red Bull soccer game. I was fortunately otherwise engaged in a sleepover with a girlfriend in the Big Apple, thus unable to attend. When I got home, my boyfriend shared the day’s events.

In addition to the actual ticket to the game, the kids were generously supplied with snacks and some sort of Red Bull trinket, the likes of which usually break on the car ride home. My boyfriend told me that about halfway through the game, Peter asked him for "some money to buy a Red Bulls wig." WHAT??? I am certain that that kid had enough crap in his pockets. Who does this? That wasn’t all. About fifteen minutes later, Peter asked,  "Are we leaving soon?" As I’m listening to my boyfriend tell this, my jaw is halfway down my neck. This kid’s got elephantitis of the nuts.

My boyfriend looked at Peter. "Yes, we’re going to leave (hold for dramatic pause) WHEN THE GAME IS OVER!" I would’ve thrown the kid over the railing. Too much? I need to know what is going on with these kids.

It didn’t stop there. Apparently, after my boyfriend had made them breakfast before they left for the soccer game, Peter sauntered into the kitchen and helped himself to TWO bananas. He didn’t ask if he could have them. He simply made himself at home and took them. When my boyfriend asked him why he was taking two, Peter replied, "I need one for the road."

The boy just had breakfast! What did he need a potassium infusion for? He wasn’t about to run a friggin’ marathon. Please tell me why kids are not being taught manners. It can’t just be Peter and Robert. I’m sure there are more out there and they just might be playing in your family room as you read this.

Are they spoiled? Are the parent’s home supervising? Are the kids accustomed to having free reign of the house? Are there rules, boundaries and structure? How do they speak to adults? Do they think that they’re all friends? It feels like someone is asleep at the wheel.

It’s not my responsibility (nor do I care) what other kids do in their own homes, but when they’re guests in mine, there are rules. And one rule is that you ask before you take something that doesn’t belong to you. This is how I was raised, and it works.

The whole business perplexes me. I am honestly looking for opinions and feedback from moms who might have a take on this. Moms that have first-hand experience with their kids and their kid’s friends. What do you feel the problem might be? Do you think it is a problem?

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About Dani Alpert

Dani’s first headshot was her mugshot taken after getting arrested for tagging in the New York suburban town where she grew up and she’s been trying to reclaim those glory days ever since. Her writing appears in numerous outlets including, Huff Post, Blogher, ModernMom, Stepmom Magazine, SheWrites, Sexpert, Babble, and The Hollywood Journal. Her memoir, The Girlfriend Mom, is about her DIY approach to maintaining her bond with the children of her longtime (now) ex-boyfriend. She’s spoken at lifestyle conferences and interviewed on nationally syndicated radio shows for being the Girlfriend Mom. She boasts placing second in her age bracket in the 2014 US National Pole Championships. Pictures provided upon request. www.danialpert.com

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

spot a child molester

The Stranger You Know: How to Spot a Child Molester’s Tricks

Do you think you would be able to tell if a sexual predator … [Read More...] about The Stranger You Know: How to Spot a Child Molester’s Tricks

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Dizziness in Pregnancy

Causes of Dizziness in Pregnancy

pregnancy & tooth pain

Pregnancy & Tooth Pain

How to Detect a Miscarriage

Children Overcome a Fear of Water

How Do Children Overcome a Fear of Water?

When Can a Baby Hear in the Womb

When Can a Baby Hear in the Womb ?

Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

How to Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

Signs of Gestational Diabetes

Pregnancy & Signs of Gestational Diabetes

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.