I agree about manners. When my children go to spend the night with a friend, the parents always comment on the please and thank you's my children state often. As I tell my children, good manners are the foundation of respect. If you can't respect someone enough to say please, thank you, yes ma'm and no ma'm then you are doomed to be a self absorbed jerk. IMO anyway.
Of course I've had a few people who tell me I'm ruining my children by making them say ma'm and sir to their elders. Maybe it's just a southern thing, but I always tell them you don't have to like an adult, but you do have to respect them. Unless they are trying to hurt you, then you beat the hell out of them and scream, lol.
"Of course I've had a few people who tell me I'm ruining my children by making them say ma'm and sir to their elders."
I don't doubt your word, but I am astounded at that.
Talk about rude! Not only telling you how to raise you children, but telling you to raise them rude.
What in the world would lead somebody to think something like that, much less say it?