Post #3176762

When I was a kid, one thing that parents universally did was force us kids to go through basic social politeness rituals with strangers. For example, if I was walking with mom and she saw a co-worker, she’d introduce me, then give me full instructions: “okay, dear, say ‘Hello Mr. Chan’. Now shake his hand. No, the other hand. Good.” And then the stranger would ask the kind of insane questions you ask kids you don’t know, and mom would prompt me to answer. Then the adults could get to talking while we wandered off. Nowadays I run into adults with kids all the time in my kid-friendly neighbourhood, but it has been decades since I’ve seen any parent instruct their kids this way. When I say hi to my neighbours I will always say hello to the kids as well to be polite, and the almost universal reaction is a deer-in-the-headlights look with a confused wary silence. (The teenagers are fine, they will grunt a greeting at me. I’m talking about the little ones.) I’m curious how/when this parenting shift occurred. Were you taught social niceties explicitly when you were a kid? Are you coaching your kids? #etiquette