Adults Misbehaving
Waiting to pay my utility bills at the post office, i cringed at the shrill ringing of a mobile phone. Turning my head, a well dressed man answered his call where he sat next to me. The call ended but no apology came forth. He took two more calls totally disregarding a sign on the wall of the post office forbidding mobile phones on its premises.
A keenly observant child was pointing at the many signs, asking his mother their meanings. The loud ringing of the mobile phone distracted his attention and i am sure i saw confusion etched on his innocent face.
An adult who talks loudly yet reprimands his or her child to speak softly is clearly sending the wrong message. A parent whom i saw warning her child not to get greedy at a high tea birthday celebration, was later seen piling her plate to overflowing to the consternation of her child.
A friend told me recently that her student related an incident how a professional adult male let the door slam upon entering a bank without the courtesy to hold it for the person right behind him. What about parents who constantly tell their children not to embarrass them in public with bad manners?. In a complete turn about, the very same parents can give a very public 'dressing down' to their kids totally oblivious to the discomfort and wretched faces of family members, close friends and strangers as reluctant spectators.
Children learn from observation and what are these adults teaching?. That it is alright to say one thing and then go ahead and do something altogether contradictory?, it's fine to flaunt and break rules, regulations and laws every once in awhile?. Common courtesy, duty of care and responsible decency be damned?
It's ugly when adults misbehave in public and it's uglier when they justify their actions as necessary. Ugliest; when they did not realise it?...now where did that come from?
You can reprimand a child for misbehaving but what do you do with an adult?. Perhaps a subject called "Remembering And Practising Good Manners" should be included in lifelong learning programmes. Food for thought huh?
A keenly observant child was pointing at the many signs, asking his mother their meanings. The loud ringing of the mobile phone distracted his attention and i am sure i saw confusion etched on his innocent face.
An adult who talks loudly yet reprimands his or her child to speak softly is clearly sending the wrong message. A parent whom i saw warning her child not to get greedy at a high tea birthday celebration, was later seen piling her plate to overflowing to the consternation of her child.
A friend told me recently that her student related an incident how a professional adult male let the door slam upon entering a bank without the courtesy to hold it for the person right behind him. What about parents who constantly tell their children not to embarrass them in public with bad manners?. In a complete turn about, the very same parents can give a very public 'dressing down' to their kids totally oblivious to the discomfort and wretched faces of family members, close friends and strangers as reluctant spectators.
Children learn from observation and what are these adults teaching?. That it is alright to say one thing and then go ahead and do something altogether contradictory?, it's fine to flaunt and break rules, regulations and laws every once in awhile?. Common courtesy, duty of care and responsible decency be damned?
It's ugly when adults misbehave in public and it's uglier when they justify their actions as necessary. Ugliest; when they did not realise it?...now where did that come from?
You can reprimand a child for misbehaving but what do you do with an adult?. Perhaps a subject called "Remembering And Practising Good Manners" should be included in lifelong learning programmes. Food for thought huh?
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