Looking for insight

[PrttyBrd]

How do we teach manners in a disrespectful and thankless society? We grew up learning "Do unto others...". But that only works well when others comply and compliance has never been society's strong suit. Generally speaking, children are sensitive, more so than adults anyway. So when you explain "Do unto others..." to your ten year old, you have to put in the stipulation that it doesn't matter what anyone else does or says in response to you, that the actions of others do not reflect on you, that you can only do what is right for you. Yet, in doing that, do we lose the ability to teach compassion and empathy for others? Is being polite and having any manners really that overrated? If we are teaching our kids to treat others like they would want to be treated, then when they say "good morning" and are answered with "Fuck You", should our kids then approach them the next morning with a smile and a bigger "Fuck You" since presumably that is how they want to be treated? Then again, FU is not in the good manners handbook, so they should not be saying it anyway (at least not at 10 yrs old).How are we to mend hurt feelings and build thicker skins while rearing our children to be polite and respectful and still encouraging them to do their best in all their endeavors? Sometimes it just feels, in this day and age, that everything good is wrong. So when others teach their children to push yours down and step on them to move ahead, how are we supposed to counteract that. I've changed my philosophy over the years from "there's never a good reason to fight" to "don't start it finish it". It's weird how things change the first time someone else's little brat lays a hand on your child. I now find myself trying to budget for Tae Kwon Do classes so that if anyone thinks they'll lay a hand on my kid, he'll kick their ass sideways and be done with it. I really don't advocate violence, not at all. But I can't have my kids bullied by the strength of the ignorant. They must be able to defend themselves against the violent tendencies of others, at least that's what I keep telling myself.If I keep thinking about this, I think I'll give myself an ulcer, ugh.