When I was growing up (and I suspect this was the case with many of you), good manners and respect were very much the order of the day. Another phrase my mum used to use quite often was that "cleanliness was next to Godliness!"
I can still remember very clearly indeed, an incident which happened when I was fairly young - around six or seven I would guess.
I had a very favourite aunty (my dad's sister) who was called Aunty Gussie, which was short for Augusta. My dad's mum was also called Augusta. I should point out here that daughter number 1 has never really forgiven me for giving her Augusta as her second name. For me, it was the obvious thing to do, because both my aunty and my nan had given me so much love and time whilst I was growing up, and they held a very special place in my heart, as I know that I did in theirs.
Anyway, I digress! As I have already mentioned, when I was around six or seven, Aunty Gussie had just returned from a holiday and came around to visit us. I immediately asked her if she had brought me back a present! Well, as you can imagine, my poor, dear mum was absolutely mortified and I was told in no uncertain terms that I must never, ever ask people if they had anything for me.
Sometimes on Facebook (and I do love Facebook) and Twitter, or other social media sites, when I read what people have written, often about other people, I wonder about their good manners or, indeed, if they have any manners at all.
On a slightly different tack, Eli is now at school full time this week and he is really loviong it. He doesn't seem tired at all when he gets home, which I thought would be the case.
Anyway, you can tell that he's now at school, because a couple of days ago, he said to his mummy that "he wasn't going to be her friend anymore!" Now Eli had quite a close little friend at pre-school, called Riley. Anyway, since he has started 'big' school, his best friend seems to be Samuel, who wasn't at his pre-school. His mummy was pleased that he was starting to make new friends.
Now I know that Eli is only 4 years and 2 months, but I was very proud of his mummy yesterday (daughter number 2). She asked Eli whether he had played with Riley as well, whereupon he informed her that Riley wasn't his friend anymore, as he was now friends with Samuel. This really upset my daughter, so she sat Eli down and tried to explain to him that it wasn't nice to exclude Riley, and how would he feel if Riley met a new friend and didn't want to play with him any more.
I know it's what happens when they start school, and that little ones can often be cruel, but I personally thought that it was really good that my daughter was taking the time to explain that it wasn't nice to say that you weren't someone's friend, and to not let them play with you. She said to explain to Samuel that Riley was his friend as well!
Like me, my daughters can't bear meanness and unkindness in people, and I know that Eli and Ruby will always be brought up to be kind, and to care about others, just as Eleanor, my eldest granddaughter, was brought up to do.
Thank you for reading my post today, and I send kindness and caring thoughts to you all!
(Images today courtesy of Pinterest)
