I am so tired of the lack of respect, morals, and decency from society in our current times. This morning I drove home from spending an exhausting half-week at my parents' We had my great-grandma's viewing and funeral and it was just two days of a lot of non-stop going and conversation. On top of that, I have chosen to become a vegetarian and have been detoxing this past week, leading to some frustrating moments (as anyone who has ever had their body detox would know...It really is amazing how much crap must have been stored in my body that is now trying to be fought out.)
Anyways, so I'm driving back this morning and I'm about a half hour from home. I am in the process of passing a semi and I'm going about 75 mph. Suddenly a little white car comes up out of nowhere and is right on my butt. I mean heissthisclosetome. If I had to come to a sudden stop for any reason he would be right through my rear and sitting between my kids and we're in a mini-van. I gently (yes, gently, I'm not being sarcastic) tap on my breaks to politely tell him to back off. He doesn't. I finally get all the way past the semi and then switch lanes to let this speed demon by. He flies past me, glaring at me in the process and then cuts me off in my lane and gives me the finger.
Seriously.
I have children in the car. I am already going about 5 mph over the speed limit, technically giving up my right to be pulled over as I'm breaking a law...if you want to get technical. Don't get mad at me that you think you're so important you need to speed pass everyone else and put us in danger of your irresponsible driving. I don't think people realize the importance of safe driving, especially when there are vehicles on the road with KIDS in them that are being put in danger by poor drivers.
I spent the rest of the drive thinking about how rude that finger was which led me to thinking about the lack of respect and manners in this world. I was watching an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" with my mom while I was there. At first I was laughing about all of it: how Mrs. Cleaver was wearing a dress and pearls around the house and putting on gloves to go out, Mr. Cleaver dressed in his suit at the dinner table, the kids washing up, dressing nicely and combing their hair before they went downstairs for dinner. But then I started thinking: Is that so wrong?
Is it bad for us to expect our kids to know, "Please", "Thank You", "No, sir", "Yes, Ma'am", "May I be excused?" etc. Although I always think it unrealistic that my house should be clean when Tim gets home, the kids looking nice and dinner on the table...would it really be that hard? Honestly, I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to all that. Tim is lucky to find me with makeup on and my hair looking anywhere near nice when he gets home. I will admit, I have him call me on his way home from work so that I know when to start dinner so it is close to done if not done when he arrives home. I do try to tidy up the house a little bit so it doesn't look like a total disaster when he walks through the door.
I want my kids to have manners. I want them to respect their elders. I think we have become too far removed from the days of the fifties when things like that were expected. I don't think we should go back to any extremes; I think there should be balance. I don't want to wear a light pair of white gloves or pearls, but I really should take the time to look nice when Tim gets home, even if it is just putting normal clothes on rather than pajama pants.
Thoughts?
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