I don't think it's a simple matter of getting them to say "sir" and "ma'am" to get them to respect adults. It has to ultimately be an inward change and their own desire to respect their elders and be ultimately teachable.

How we go about it is probably best referred to the tactics of Supernanny. ;)

Yes, a lot of kids nowadays need to be taught some manners and should show some respect.

The problem is, this is just how kids ARE. Believe it or not, Leave it to Beaver never actually reflected the reality of family life, only the 1950s American ideal of what it ought to be. Kids have always been rebellious, and every generation forgets that and asks about "kids these days". Having young people say abritrary things like "sir" and "ma'am" won't change how young people are and always have been.

Its amazing how every generation thinks that kids have gotten "worse". Believe it or not, young people could be booze guzzling, drug taking leeches back in "the day" to. This is what the previous generation would say about us. And the generation before them about them. The cycle continues I guess.

God, this thread makes me feel old. I can't believe gamers are writing about "kids these days".....   -.-

Chances are if the kids have no manners, the parents never had any to impart on their children to begin with.

I already call my parents in the honorable way in Korean.

It started as a joke and it just stuck.

No i want to be a father, not a boss

I refer to people as sir and ma'm, most people think I'm weird for it lol

This. What your children call you should be a term of affection.

I was bought up to believe respect is earned, not given. Just because someone is older than you it doesn't automatically warrant a sir or ma'am, especially as a lot of older people are cantankerous bastards anyway(myself included).

Politeness is something that everyone should thech their kids though. Please, thank you, holding doors and not wearing burberry are essential.

there is little respect these days, i was raised that way, its not a bad thing. i still do.