Is there ever a polite way to teach other people’s kids to be a little more mannerly or considerate? Related Articles For years, I have been driving my grandson’s carpool once or twice a week. The three involved are good kids, and I have no problem providing this much-needed service. I know how hard it is for parents who work full-time to drive somewhere in the middle of the afternoon, especially when there are siblings on different schedules in other schools.
The benefit for me is that I see my grandson more often than I would otherwise. As the youngsters enter the middle school years, however, they increasingly treat me as if I’m some sort of robot, or at best, a nameless bus driver — not someone they’ve known since kindergarten. One wears earbuds and probably doesn’t even hear me when I say hello and goodbye.
They were a lot more fun when they were younger. I know it would be futile to insist on actual conversation, but wouldn’t it be nice if they could just greet me politely when they get into my car? And say goodbye (and maybe even “Thanks for the ride”) as they depart? It’s not as if I need to be thanked, exactly; I just wonder what their conduct says about how they relate to people in general. Is there anything I could say that would help them realize that social graces are basic life skills, ones that grease the wheels of human interaction throughout life? I could say something to the parents.
However, if they take offense, they might say something.
