In 2016, we are almost two decades into the 21st century and it seems that reminding folks about what it means to be gracious and respectful in these times is necessary. Some manners and practices that are timeless are saying "please" and "thank you" and shaking someone's hand. Other rituals may be adapting to changing times and the advent of 24 hour technology access. As a parent, I am often challenged to remind my children of the importance of greeting others and showing gratitude for any gift or generosity they receive. What I am becoming more flexible with is how they demonstrate this "thankfulness" in different instances. I was vehemently against my children emailing a "thank you" in lieu of a handwritten note but as they have grown I have seen value in the immediacy of an email message. This has been particularly true as my kids have opted more often to include a video message to personalize and make more of an impact with their communication. Please know that there are still instances that a handwritten note is not optional but required. This formality is shown towards those that are their grandparents age while the intimacy of a video message is assigned to family and friends that are closest to us. At the end of the day, manners are a form of showing respect for others.
We should still require our children to be polite but they can share their thoughts with us on how they can most authentically achieve this goal.
We should still require our children to be polite but they can share their thoughts with us on how they can most authentically achieve this goal.