When people became down right nasty when George W. Bush was in office, I thought that as Americans, we were reaching a new low. I understand that a lot of people were so mad, and so done with him as a president. I was offended because I did not think he was as bad as a lot of people said, I was offended because it seemed so disrespectful to me. Freedom of speech is what this country is based on, but freedom to be excessively rude is not going to cut it. This all came to a head for me when I heard a senator shouted out “liar” to President Obama during his speech on health care reform last week. If he is a liar on this issue or not, this senator should have kept that thought in his head, or in the very least have mumbled it under his breath to himself. Where do we draw the line when it comes to our public opinion of our president?

Manners and our public figures – it is not going very well the past few weeks, is it? As the public has spoken out this week, I am concluding that you do not have to be a manners expert to be disgusted with the behavior of today’s celebrities. What I am concluding is there is not a problem with just celebrities, but a problem with the way we are raising our children.

Dear Mrs. McVeigh,
I am noticing that children are not either being taught, or making an effort when they are being taught, to be respectful to adults. My husband and I are always telling our children to make good eye contact, and shake hands when meeting or greeting an adult, but it has not fully sunk in yet. We took our kids to the Nutcracker Ballet a few weeks ago, and ran into some friends. Our kids acted shy, and were not very proactive in saying hello to our friends, and we had to basically prompt them step by step on how to act. We have gone over it so many times, but we now wonder if it is because they do not see other kids doing it either. I rarely get a “hello” from kids who know me, let alone eye contact, and a “how are you.” What is wrong with our kids today? Have you noticed this too?
L

Dear Mrs. McVeigh,
Every year I host Christmas day for my family, and my husband’s family. Every year I get the same question from both sides, which is “Are we all buying gifts for one another this year.” I have tried to alleviate the situation in the past by having a Chinese Gift Exchange one year, to drawing names another year. One person or another complains about any ideas I come up with. I am sick of being in the middle of the whole thing. What is proper etiquette for this type of situation?
Stressed and Distressed

Mrs. McVeigh,
This is not a question relating to kids, but I need it answered.
I am sending out invitations to a party. I am inviting several judges, and am mailing the invitations to their offices. How do I correctly address the envelope?
Thanks.
MB