TEACHING RESPECT

 You may have heard me talk about or write about the need for us to teachour children to be more respectful to adults by addressing them as Mr.,Miss., or Mrs. Call me old fashion, old school, or just an old fool but I strongly believe in young people using Mr. Miss, or Mrs., when addressing adults. It shows a sign of respect for their elders.

 Now I know there are some of our young people who do this already and tothem I say thank you. Thank you for showing adults the respect they deserveand should be shown. But for all our young people who do this already, there are way too many of them who don’t. There are way too many of them who have no problem calling an adult by their first name. And I must add that there are way too many adults who have no problem letting them do this.

 We talk so much about young people showing respect, well addressingadults as Mr. Miss, or Mrs., is one way of showing respect. When you letchildren address you on a first name bases you give them the impression thatthere is no separation between your age and theirs. That there is noseparation between adult and child.

 Now I know some of you adults don’t like to be addressed by Mr. Miss. orMrs., because you say it makes you feel old. Well get over it, you are oldand you are getting older. Grow up and be the adult that you are. Be theelder that you will become.

 It’s up to us the adults to teach our children to be respectful and Ifor one think that using Mr., Miss., or Mrs., is one  way of doing that.Our children don’t just start out doing all the right things, they have to betaught to do the right things. And who should be doing the teaching, adultsthat’s who.

  So adults start teaching our children to do the right thing and you can startby  demanding that they address you and other adults as Mr., Miss. orMrs. Don’t allow our children to address you as if you were a child. Stop trying to be their friend and be their teacher. Stop trying to be young again and be the adult you are now. Start teaching them how to be respectful by having them show respect to you. Have them address you as Mr. Miss. or Mrs. It’s the adult thing to do. I don’t see anything wrong with that, do you? Really , do you?