I've given this the title of 'NO thanks - is politeness dead' because I'm really angry that youngsters today don't seem to bother to thank people for presents they've received.
To be honest I'm only referring to my own nephews and niece in this rant. Other youngsters may be different. I don't know.
I made the decision, more than 30 years ago, that I wouldn't actually buy my friends kids presents for their birthdays, etc. I made this decision because years ago, everyone just seemed to be having babies and I had the insight to realise that buying presents for babies could actually last a life time. Yes, when friends had babies I turned up after they'd been born with a gift, and yes I went to the numerous baby showers, with a gift. BUT.................... for me.................. that's where it ended.
...................Except for my two nephews and niece.
Obviously I still buy my nephews and niece pressies for their birthdays and Christmas. But do I get any thanks for this? I do not? Is this because they just assume that their Auntie will always be there to throw gifts at them? I don't know. Is it because society is so materialistic these days that they just expect to be showered with gifts on their birthdays? Is it because they haven't been taught to say 'thank you'? I find that very hard to believe because my sister has 'brought the kids up proper'. But may be she's just not reminding them any more that they actually need to thank people for gifts???
Actually, I have to say that my 'middle nephew' always says 'thank you' for any gifts and he always thanks me for anything that I do for him........................... So 'middle nephew Jack' you're excluded from this RANT!
Unfortunately oldest nephew and young niece (22 & 18 years old) don't seem to have the word 'Thank you' in their vocabulary? Nephew was 22 in August & niece was 18 at the beginning Oct. Neither of them have bothered to thank me for their birthday pressies.
To me; that is just rude? Even if they didn't like their pressies (which they actually wanted), they should at least say 'thank you'.
But ho hum, what do I know?.....................
......................I know that politeness costs nothing, I know that respect costs nothing, I know that my middle class nephew & niece live in such a 'cocooned world' that my meagre pressie to them obviously wasn't worthy of saying 'thank you' for. And to be honest my 'meagre pressie' wasn't actually that meagre?? As I said above, my middle nephew always thanks me for everything.
I actually spent a lot of money on pressies for my nephew and niece. I'm working in a 'minimum wage' job. I wouldn't even like to think how many hours I've had to work to buy what I bought them both for their birthdays. But because they live in this 'middle class' bubble, they obviously don't realise that they need to thank anybody for anything.
Whatever they want, Daddy can afford...................... and whatever problems they have............... Mummy can just sort out.
#notsurehowmiddlenephewhasturnedoutsonormal
