Does everyone continually question what's important?

Is it just me or does everyone continually question what’s important?

In general, I don’t buy in to negative stereotypes.

I don’t believe that people under the age of 30 are any lazier than we were, or that kids today have no respect.

Over the years, I reckon I’ve copped more bad manners from people over 40 than under it.

My new favourite website – check it out – is www.mamamia.com.au

It’s run by Mia Freedman, former wunderkind of the magazine world turned media commentator and mum.

In between personal observations Mia lets people vent on her website.

A couple of days ago a post from a woman called Lisa caught my eye.

Lisa wrote, “When I was growing up it was a given that friends’ parents were called Mr and Mrs.

“That’s just what we were taught by our parents.  In return, my friends called my parents Mr and Mrs Green.

“In fact as a 30-year-old, I was still calling my best friend’s parents Mr and Mrs Morrison, because I just couldn’t change to Tom and Arlene after all those years.

“As the years passed and friends began having children, I was not called Mrs Smith by them, but Lisa.  ‘Mmm,’ I thought, ‘that’s a bit of front, being called Lisa by a five-year-old.’  I kept my opinion to myself.

“Fast forward and I have now been blessed with my own beautiful daughter.  

“When she meets someone, my husband and I say, ‘Georgia, say hello to Mrs Stewart’.  

“So often I get a shocked look from the adult and many times they say, ‘Oh, she can just call me Jane’.  But I don’t want my daughter calling her Jane.

“I think it’s a parent’s right to determine how their child addresses other adults and if I choose for my children to be ‘old-fashioned’ and use Mr and Mrs, then so be it.

“Many people may think there are so many bigger issues at play in our society these days, but I say what’s wrong with some old-fashioned good manners?”

Back to me now – it’s a tricky one.

When I was a kid we called all adult married couples Mr and Mrs and I quite liked it.

We called single men Mr and single women Miss.

I’m a born conformist and was always happy to display my good manners to an appreciative audience.

The fact the world was changing and most kids thought I was a repressed nerd didn’t worry me a bit because, let’s face it, I knew very early on which side my bread was buttered.

When our own kids were little, John and I introduced people as Mr and Mrs where applicable – and there’s the rub.

Think about it. Exactly what percentage of your adult friends are actually married?

Even the married ones don’t necessarily have the same surname as their spouse and none of them wants to be called Mr or Mrs anyway.

John and I were pretty much on our own.

As for the kids, it didn’t take them long to recognise the injustice of being required to call their friend’s parents Mr and Mrs when absolutely no one was returning the favour.

In the end, we came to a compromise. We introduce everyone as Mr and Mrs, then hope like hell they say, “Oh no, call me Lisa”.

On the rare occasion a kid calls me Mrs Hutchinson, I quite like it – and immediately tell them to call me Caroline, but file away the mental tick. There’s a growing trend among teachers to drop the Mr and Mrs and in the words of my least favourite redhead, I don’t like it.

Not because I think teachers should be authoritative and intimidating, but simply because I don’t think it hurts to remind kids, gently, they are not the boss of the world.

I know good manners are about a lot more than parroted titles but the inner nerd in me remains.

You can call her Mrs Hutchinson.