I was at the mall the other day holiday shopping and a little girl in front of me in line at Toys-r-Us let out the biggest belch ever. She giggled and looked proud of herself but did not say "excuse me" and her mother didn't reprimand her either. Do parents not teach their children how to behave in public anymore?

I teach manners by example. My daughter says please most of the time and thank you without fail. She excuses herself when she burps, and tells ME off when I cough without covering my mouth.

Don't worry you are not alone, and I have seen much worse. I was doing a Black Friday Shopping Spree, same store mind you, I'm in the bathroom taking care of things, and I end up seeing a mother and child both walk out without washing their hands, rushing to get back in line and almost tripping another person. Not only did I speak up about the no washing hands and being rude pushing threw people, I also (a little loud) reminded them both thats how germs are spread and I'm sure the rest of the parents in the store don't want to catch anything, besides giving a 5 minute lecture on why its rude (even during a black Friday) to be rude and cut lines and shove people out of the way. I ended up shaking my head and reminding myself, like mother like daughter.

I have never seen someone leave a store so quickly before.

Not all parents do the same way, you just got at the wrong place in the wrong time. The thing is, the negative things that we do are the ones we mostly see and the good things are easily taken for granted. I'm saying this in general because I myself could easily see a black point in a big white board instead of seeing the big white board with just a little speck.

But I agree that parents should and must teach their children manners. What I just explained in the above paragraph is not an excuse not to teach the kids about manners. Anyway, if the white board is filled with black spots then the white image could not be seen anymore.

I think plenty of parents are still teaching manners, it's just the kids without manners stand out so much!

I am not sure if it was manners or not, but I was in a hair place which seldom happens that I have time for a new do. A lady came in with her ummm about 1 1/2 year old? Walking so about that age, and he came up and just started to grab at womens chest (mine was one of them). While this makes me think maybe hes hungry and breastfed, the mother did nothing about it. Many were upset over this, and left I was one.

At this age I would say that there is no way he could have known that what he was doing was wrong. But I do agree that the mother should really have stepped up and intervened-she might not have been able to verbally stop him, and perhaps would have had to ask for help (if she was in a sink or so on) but she should have done something.

I don't think its necessarily that the good ones don't stand out more, but that there are more grey areas. Kids who just shuffle around being morose and not making a choice one way or another. The rude ones get our attention, but I can't recall the last time i saw a well-behaved child. I normally go out of my way to say something nice to their parents when I do.

I think it has more to do with the manners of adults. Things like this, you can talk and lecture until you're blue in the face, but it won't make a difference if they don't see you leading by example. I work in fast food and often see kids being just as rude (or polite) as their parents. It seems many adults have become lax in their manners, and their kids are just folling suit.