Manners don't seem to be in abundance with the younger kids around here. My own 19 yr old daughter holds doors for strangers, and is polite. Yet . . . when her 20 yr old boyfriend comes to get her, or brings her home, he never gets out of his car! I have spoken to both of them about it. nada. zip. she says "I don't need a man to open doors for me or walk me to the door". but she does that for people. I think she is being defensive because he is too lazy to get out of the car. grrr. It is so frustrating. Good for you and Izzy!

My daughter is 33 now but she was manners and so many of her friends mother commented on her manners even back then. She'd hold doors for people, say excuse me, thank you, give up a seat for someone who needed it more. I was and still proud of her. She is a nurse now.

How wonderful!
My DD and I are both working on manners for DGS. He is speech delayed and mildly autistic so it is a bit more of a chore, but most times he will be polite if reminded (what do you say). Unfortunately the school is not reinforcing the please and thank you, just settling for yes and no.
My friend's DD was told her elementary school child was "too polite" and that the teacher found it irritating! Wonder why the child didn't like school. . .

What a wonderful story, sure sounds like you are raising a well mannered, appreciative daughter. Keep up the good work, I wish more moms would teach their children manners. Actually, I wish more moms these days would teach their children anything, it seems I see a lot of ill-behaved children lately.

I do the same, to encourage their kind and thoughtful efforts. I have lived in the same general area all my life. I grew up in the 60's. Strangers always said hello with a smile and held doors for each other and were helpful to each other. I still like to do that today and people have become so withdrawn into themselves (not really sure what), that sometimes they will just look at me like I'm strange for holding the door or something. I don't get it.

A child who has been taught to respect others will earn respect. So many time you hear from young thugs, " He/She didn't show me respect. I always wish I could face these people and tell them "you earn respect not demand it". I've also seen older people demand respect then wonder why it's not forthcoming.
We taught our 3 daughters to have good manners and always consider others. I also told them the only job where you start at the top is digging a hole.
We got many compliments on how well mannered they were, especially when they were in their teens. We must have done it right because all our grand children have beautiful manners.

Way to go mom, and yes manners are definately scarcer. Parents aren't spending the time it takes to teach their children. I was always so tickled when my son remembered his manners without being nudged (still am). It was amazing though how often I was told how "lucky" I was that he was polite. Did they think he was born that way. I wanted to tell people it wasn't luck, it was hard work (but that would have been rude).:D

Thank you all who have passed on manners as part of raising chidren. As a society, we have become so impersonal. If you do not (and I do not) go on facebook, you do not know what the family is doing. Even my oldest sister (77) is doing things that I have no idea of because of all this impersonal "communication". At my doctor's office yesterday, twice I got up and held the door for someone with a walker and they were surprised. That is sad. Manners are the way we connect with others, both friends and strangers.

That is wonderful, I am always happy when I meet someone with manners. Makes me wonder how so many people get through life without learning the basics.

But there are times I am a little taken aback by the compliments.....I expected my son to behave with manners, it was not a "out of the ordinary" thing. Case in point, when he was 15, his fathers stepdad passed away. My son was one of the pall bearers. My ex-MIL called me to tell me that my son was very well behaved. I thanked her politely......but when I thought about it.....I was wondering why it would be such a shock. It was a funeral, a formal occasion, my son was taught to behave well and he was 15 not 5! I expected him to be that way. Oh well, in the end, just glad he presented himself well to that side of the family, they are ever so critical of my side.

When a young man opens or holds a door open for me I sometimes say "Thank you. Your Mom would be proud of you." I usually get a smile. I said this to one young man that held a door open for me and the woman he was with said "I am!" Way to go MOM!!