Our kids write thank you notes for every gift they’re given. Is it a pain? Yes. Does it make for a more polite and appreciative situation? Absolutely. I also make sure they say thank you when someone gives them something, tells them something, or does something for them.
It takes parenting. Plain and simple.
And from my observation, the boomers didn’t always parent so well, and so their kids didn’t know how to parent the next generation, and so it’s getting lost. Not all my friends, who are in the age group mostly of parents born very late 40s-mid 50s, had all the customs pushed on them. And they pushed back. I noticed it in school, growing up, and today. And the parents let it slide. And that’s not so much a poke at boomers, per se, though the two income and divorced families I suspect to correlate… but instead that it is in my observations a multi-generational loss that is occurring.
This may be the quote you were thinking of? It's actually a paraphrase by a 20th century dude of several Greek writers' complaints about kids that often gets miss-attributed to Mr. S.Socrates had something to say about the lack of manners over 2,400 years ago. It must have been a very slow decline or it couldn't still be happening.![]()
"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."
Just wait until I start attributing random quotes to you!This may be the quote you were thinking of? It's actually a paraphrase by a 20th century dude of several Greek writers' complaints about kids that often gets miss-attributed to Mr. S.
I didn't say nuffin!Just wait until I start attributing random quotes to you!![]()
But "they" don't know that!I didn't say nuffin!![]()
Absolutely not acceptable. I too lament declining standards. It saddens me that f bombs on bumper stickers are an acceptable thing. But gifts such as these still require a thank you. That’s the still current standard. A wedding gift requires a card. The PT gift should receive a card but an email wouldn’t be an unmitigated disaster, just not a best practice. Even the people who think nothing of f bombs on cars agree with this.I'm 67 and finding that many times when I think people should acknowledge a gift, it just doesn't happen.
My good friend's (I was his Best Man) daughter got married a couple of years ago but it was in Georgia and I responded that I could not attend. I did send a check to the bride and groom for $200.00 which I thought was sufficient for a wedding I wasn't going to. Since I didn't know where they would be living, I sent it to my buddy's house so he knew I sent "something". The check was cashed but no thank you note was ever sent.
I attended my boss' son's pre-wedding dance party not too long ago. They are Indian and there are many events surrounding the actual wedding. For this dance party ceremony, I also gave $200.00. No thank you, again. The wedding was in Italy so for that, I wasn't even invited, thankfully.
I just recently finished 40 sessions of Physical Therapy for a knee injury. At the conclusion, I gave the therapist/co-owner a card on my way out the door for the last time. In the card were four Amazon gift cards for $50.00 each; one for the therapist, one for the front desk person, and one each for the two gym aids that set up the exercise equipment. Once again, no thank you from anyone.
My other good friend's (he was my Best Man) daughter had a baby 3 weeks ago. For her, I got two baby outfits, a stuffed animal toy carefully chosen with no buttons or other attachments that could come loose and pose a choking hazard. I also put a $100.00 Amazon gift card in the actual card.
So far, no thanks from her either but in her case, there's still time.
While I don't do these things solely to receive a "thank you", I do feel it is rude when people don't acknowledge the gift, or the time spent getting the gift. Am I expecting too much? I don't think so. All these people have my cell number and/or email. They don't have to go to Hallmark and buy a card for $5.99 just to say thanks, a simple text or email costs nothing and takes perhaps 2 minutes, tops!
Oh well, I'm done ranting. Thanks for listening!
Agreed. These things need to be taught. Not just the social requirement, which is a real thing. But the more important actual appreciation, which is generally lost upon a child.Our kids write thank you notes for every gift they’re given. Is it a pain? Yes. Does it make for a more polite and appreciative situation? Absolutely. I also make sure they say thank you when someone gives them something, tells them something, or does something for them.
It takes parenting. Plain and simple.
And from my observation, the boomers didn’t always parent so well, and so their kids didn’t know how to parent the next generation, and so it’s getting lost. Not all my friends, who are in the age group mostly of parents born very late 40s-mid 50s, had all the customs pushed on them. And they pushed back. I noticed it in school, growing up, and today. And the parents let it slide. And that’s not so much a poke at boomers, per se, though the two income and divorced families I suspect to correlate… but instead that it is in my observations a multi-generational loss that is occurring.