Teaching Good Manners on Outings

[djblu883]

I have always taught my kids to never leave litter when dining out with disposable items in public places, yesterday I went with a friend to see the Santa Claus III at a local theatre and was shocked when first a family of 5 spilled a large drink and made no attempt to get it cleaned up by themselves or go ask staff to do it...instead they moved UP one row of seats and also left all their drink carriers on the floor as well....then when the movie was over I was shocked again to see 80% of all seats with the built in cupholders were left full of cups and popcorn and candy wrappers/boxes were also left. The family who I first noticed left all their trash as well...what a surprise!! NOT !!! What kind of lessons are we teaching our kids with this behavior???
Please be kind and teach your kids to pick up their things...our country is overrun with this kind of thing! I visited in Ireland a few summers back and did not see litter on roadsides or in the streets....

 

[disnutt]

This burns me too! I would hate to see what their homes look like.

 

[Ariel8676]

I totally agree, how hard is it to throw away your trash on the way out..there are usually trash cans near the doors.
My girls are 5, almost 4 and 11 months...we started teaching them about respect and manners before they could even understand what it meant.
Its so simple to do and yet it seems as though there are so many people who don't have any manners anymore. Simple things like picking up your mess, sayng please and thank you, holding the door for someone..or at a restaurant, my girls sit down and put their napkins on their laps order what they would like to eat and drink and say please and thank you when their order comes out.
Im not saying that there isn't anyone who uses good manners..so please don't take it that way...i just get upset that something so simple isnt being taught as much..maybe im wrong in thinking that, maybe i have just come across some "bad apples"..lol

 

[djblu883]

Good for you !! Taking small kids on outing when they are young is part of how you teach them social skills. We are already teaching our 21 month old to do the same things!!! She says please and thank you many times already without being reminded and she can't even say a lot a things you can clearly understand but that comes out great and folks are so surprised!!!

 

[my2boysrtwicethefun]

I agree 100%.

 

[dzneelvr]

It always amazes me how inconsiderate adults can be....and then expect the kids to be any different? It will follow them their entire life in all areas. We choose to be a part of the "haves", not the "have nots" Part of being a "have" is to put a higher level of personal expectation/accountability on yourself...and you reap rewards in every direction! Our family wouldn't even have to think twice about leaving movie seats clean and ready for the next family to enjoy!! (we'd also let someone know about it as we left the theatre, so cleanup could occur)

 

[meeskamouska]

We have always taught our daughter these common courtisies. I remember that when she was 2, was stopped by someone who had over heard her say "Please" and "Thank you" unprompted. He asked how did you teach her to do that!? I said by leading by example, I am polite to her and others, so she learns through imitation of good behavior. He was like...I'll have to try that!!! SO, many people obviously are setting these examples....quite obvious with the families mentioned!!

 

[SunKat]

Ewww, it is so disgusting to leave garbage like that at the theater. It shows a lack of respect for the next guests that end up in those seats, as well as a lack of respect for the person who has to clean it up.

I think we're seeing more and more of this type of behavior as so many people just seem to care about themselves, it's "all about me". They don't care that the next family has to sit in their slop. Soooo rude!