Teaching Good Manners: When Does Saying “Good Afternoon” Change to “Good Evening”?
Key Highlights :
We all want to teach our children good manners, but sometimes we forget to practice what we preach. I recently experienced this phenomenon while shopping at a local grocery store. I was looking for Italian breadcrumbs, and I innocently asked a woman if she’d seen them. Her response was, “Why — because I’m a woman?” My response was, “No, because I’m making meatloaf.” This incident highlighted the current emphasis on “identity” and how people assume that theirs is under attack in even the most benign situations.
My husband, however, takes the teaching of good manners one step further. He believes that if I ask for something without saying “please,” it is inherently rude. He will point it out and refuse to help until I say “please,” even if I am in the middle of taking care of our toddlers. He even does this in front of our extended families. While I understand his intentions, I find his habit very rude, especially when done in front of company. It feels like I’m being treated like a 3-year-old.
So, when does saying “Good afternoon” change to “Good evening”? Miss Manners would like to remind us that children pay attention to what their parents do, often at the expense of what the parents tell them to do. Therefore, we should always accompany a request with “please,” not just to avoid undercutting our children and annoying our spouses, but because it is the right thing to do.
At what time does saying “Good afternoon” change to “Good evening”? According to Miss Manners, it is at 6 p.m., sundown or whenever you arise from your afternoon nap. So, let’s all remember to practice good manners and say “please” when we ask for something. It is a small gesture that can go a long way in teaching our children to be polite and respectful.
