Thank You going out of fashion?

[albaqwerty]

Do you still say thank you, please, pardon, excuse me?
Not all at the same time obviously.

Instead of saying thank you, my teens say cheers at which point, I peer over my specs at them and then they say Thanks Mum.

Is it just language changing or a sign of the times?

[emmie]

i do, but have seen a marked shift away from what one considers polite terms.

[NOX]

It's just language, I say that myself sometimes, depends on the situation and on how well you know soemone what language you use towards them, but I like good manners and touch wood, my kids tend to be very respectful of people generally and always use please and thanks you, excuse me etc, except amongst their peers where it's all just a bit of banter.

[albaqwerty]

I must admit, my teens and their friends are always polite and use Thank you alba, and so on, but now and again I inwardly cringe when I hear them talking to each other.
When I peer over my specs at my sons, they then seem to realise to whom they are talking (lawdy, that sounds so pretentious)

[NOX]

I think kids have always said atrocious things to each other though Alba- I know I did, and I know mine do. As long as the'yre happy polite people, I honestly dpn't think it matters:)

[albaqwerty]

Exactly Nox, if they are happy and healthy that is the important thing.
Maybe it's just fuddy-duddies who will object to some young person saying 'cheers' instead of 'thank you' At least the person saying 'cheers' has acknowledged the other person. (I'm not typing this very well at all)

[NOX]

I know what you mean alba:)

[sara3]

we all say thank you, although my son is a miserable nightmare teenager... he still knows when to say please and thank you.

my colleague at work thinks "pardon" is for the lower classes. "you'd never catch the Queen saying pardon!"

[B00]

What i have noticed, with being behind a till for some years is not only a lack of please and thank you's from kids but also parents don't seem to prompt them to say it either.

When I was little, if I God forbid, failed to say them, my mum would be breathing down my neck demanding I say it. Nowadays the parents are just as surly as the kids.

[albaqwerty]

When my sons were about 4 and 5. we came out of our local shop and they put their sweetie wrappers in the bin. A complete stranger came and told me he thought that was a nice thing to see. I'd have been horrified if they had thrown it on the pavement. 'If you've a pocket and no bin, put it in your pocket' I won't tell you what has been through my washing machine:)

[McMouse]

It's the sentiment that matters, not the precise works. I'm pleased if someone has the courtesy to acknowledge something in a pleasant tone.

[redcrx]

as long as you are acknowledging your thanks to someone i dont see what it really matters, you are still being polite. I say thank you / ta / cheers, it varies. Language is always changing, but I would rather a cheers than nothing.

i must admit i correct my youngest who, now shes mixing with other children at school, has now started saying "fank-er" with a terrible accent lol.

[andy-hughes]

I think manners are really important, and have taught my children the same, and they are teaching their children.

My youngest grandson who is nearly two is learning to talk, and his first clear words have been 'Than choo ...'. He even says it when he is being awkward - last night as my daughter told him it was time to have his shoes on to go home, he replied "No than choo mummy ..." little poppet!!!

[paddywak]

I was brought up to be polite and I do try but I some times find it hard with the way things seem to be today, especially in shops were some, though not all, of the staff seem to think they're doing you a favour interupting their conversations to serve you.

[craft1948]

A woman at work once met my 10 year old daughter and said afterwards that she had been amazed by her beautiful manners..........shows what an impression I must give.

[bigglez]

nah cheers