Whatever happened to saying thank you?

As a child there were two things that my parents burned into my head. Always say please and always say thank you.
Birthday gifts, Christmas gifts or whatever gifts always warranted a thank you in person, on the phone or through the mail.
Even in elementary school the desk in my room was stocked with Hello Kitty school supplies, Baby Sitter Club Books, and boxes of blank thank you cards.
When an out of state relative – even if I hadn’t seen them since I was in diapers did something thoughtful like take time out of their busy schedules to shop for me or even write a little check, purchase postage and stick it in the mail for me, guess what?
My mother made sure that once I received that lovely token, I then in turn, took time out of my day to sit down, fill out a thank you note, purchase postage and stick it in the mail.
It was sweet, courteous and my mother always taught me that just that little gesture on my part probably made some sort of impact on the recipients day.
Nowadays if you want to demonstrate appreciation, courtesy and home training to those who are thoughtful and kind to you, you can do so with minimal effort.
If you’re too busy to mail a card or to call someone who somehow found the time to make you a priority, we now have email, ecards, Facebook and twitter for those who want to send out a quick and painless thank you at the very least.
So what gives with this generation of children?
I’m ranting because I am sick and tired of ungrateful kids and teens and more so their parents who feel that their kids are above this simple courtesy.
What the heck happened to saying thank you?
At the very least if someone sends something through the mail, you may want to call that person simply to let them know that the package made it there alright.
I’m sorry, and perhaps you’re thinking that I’m making a big deal out of nothing, but I say to those of you who are bringing up ungrateful children…Watch what happens.
If children grow up without valuing the kindness and thoughtfulness of others, and not considering the time and feelings of others, they are developing characteristics that will lead to selfish, narcissistic, entitled teens and adults. Just watch.
People work hard for what they have, and nobody owes your child anything. No matter how cute or special you think they may be. They need to be saying thank you. Period.
So while everyone around you is talking about how ungrateful your kids are, because believe me, they are…it is really your responsibility as parents to instill this.
Don't make or help your kids look bad.
The ungrateful generation (and their parents) in my personal life shall remain nameless, but hopefully when they happen to not receive a token from me through the mail this year for birthdays, Christmas or anything else, perhaps this will spark some thought as to why that might be.
“Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage” –Theodore Roosevelt
(Source: shine.yahoo.com