Rule #1: Respect your elders

June 22, 2022

Respecting your elders serves as a foundational moral pillar that shapes the long-term character of individuals and the cohesion of society. This cultural standard prioritises the recognition of the wisdom and contributions of older generations while ensuring their dignity as they age.

The practice of showing respect to seniors is not merely an act of politeness but a vital educational framework for children who observe these interactions as blueprints for their own future conduct. By fostering an environment where the elderly are treated with tenderness rather than as burdens, families create a cycle of care that ultimately benefits every generation.

This article explores the personal experiences of growing up with strict etiquette and the societal implications of maintaining these values in a modern world. It provides a reflective look at how domestic discipline influences public behaviour and why the preservation of these traditions is essential for a compassionate community.

Key Takeaways

Cultivating respect for elders at home establishes a moral compass for children to follow throughout their lives.
Traditional etiquette including specific verbal acknowledgements prevents the erosion of social standards and intergenerational connections.
The treatment of the elderly today functions as a direct teaching session for the next generation of caregivers.
Viewing the elderly as contributors rather than burdens ensures they age with much deserved dignity and support.
Society must protect and comfort senior citizens to honour their past economic and social contributions.

Lessons in etiquette: Why respect for elders begins at home

By Marissa Armoogam. As a child growing up, I remember one rule we always had to adhere to was to respect our elders. I grew up in a time when you answered a call with, “Yes Mom, yes Dad, yes Aunty,” or the title or name for whomever was the person calling. I never said, “She said,” my grandmother would instantly ask me, “Who is ‘she’… the cat’s mother?” Up to this day I have no idea what that means, but I know it meant that I was disrespectful by addressing someone as “she”.

Over the past few years I have seen the slow and steady decay of the level of respect paid to the adults and the elderly by our younger generation, even the respect they pay to their peers is questionable. This type of behaviour is spread across the entire field of young people, but as any illness, it is something if not treated at an early stage will spread rapidly and then symptoms become a full blown ailment.

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Respect begins at home

A saying which I firmly believe in is the statement “Charity begins at home”. This phrase can be used to represent many different areas of our everyday existence, our mannerisms, speech patterns, hygiene, ideals, values and morals all are sculpted right in our very homes. The way we treat the ones we live with showing value or lack of towards them is packed and taken with us as we leave the home and enter the wider public.

The elders in our society were once the young and able-bodied as you and I now are, some day to come, we too, will be the fragile and dependant elderly and our children will be our caretakers. These past contributors to our society and economy need us to be the tender hand that carries them, the soft voice that comforts them and the strong heart that protects them. Once we are able to do this freely we can be sure our elderly will be able to age with a much deserved sense of dignity.

Teaching lesson for our children

We must never allow them to feel as though it is an imposition or a burden to have them in our lives, we can look at it from the angle… the way we treat our elders now is a live teaching session for our children and soon those lessons will be put to use when we become the elderly. So as I mentioned earlier… “charity begins at home”.

June 2016 – Issue 22 www.sweettntmagazine.com