There may still be hope...

[Husker Todd]

for the future. Went out to dinner with my 20 year old son tonight and towards the end of the meal he got up and told me he'd be back in a second and walked off. When he returned a couple of minutes later, I asked where he went. He told me, "I went up to pay for that gentleman's meal", I looked over to where he was indicating and saw an elderly veteran. Got to say I was a pretty proud dad tonight.

 

[huskerfan66]

for the future. Went out to dinner with my 20 year old son tonight and towards the end of the meal he got up and told me he'd be back in a second and walked off. When he returned a couple of minutes later, I asked where he went. He told me, "I went up to pay for that gentleman's meal", I looked over to where he was indicating and saw an elderly veteran. Got to say I was a pretty proud dad tonight.

I try to do the same for any in uniform.

 

[Husker Todd]

I try to do the same for any in uniform.

My wife and I do as well, you just wonder sometimes if your kids are paying attention when you do these things. It was refreshing to see that he has picked up on the example we set.

 

[frankluv]

Priceless.

 

[meo1960]

Acts 20:35
...It is more blessed to give than to receive.

 

[Baxter48]

I wonder how many people realize than on this Sunday 11-11-18 will be 100 years since the end of world war 1. I try to buy a lunch when I notice a elderly veteran or police officer. If I'm unable to I tell them thank you for your service

 

[ZaneHickey]

for the future. Went out to dinner with my 20 year old son tonight and towards the end of the meal he got up and told me he'd be back in a second and walked off. When he returned a couple of minutes later, I asked where he went. He told me, "I went up to pay for that gentleman's meal", I looked over to where he was indicating and saw an elderly veteran. Got to say I was a pretty proud dad tonight.

Congrats, and way to go, Dad!

 

[Husker Todd]

Congrats, and way to go, Dad!

Thanks! My wife gets the lion's share of the credit though, she has done an amazing job raising our children. I just try not to screw up all the good she has done.

 

[Baxter48]

Thanks! My wife gets the lion's share of the credit though, she has done an amazing job raising our children. I just try not to screw up all the good she has done.

Don't discredit yourself, I don't care what some of these people say, but all children need a father. None of them are perfect but I miss my dad every day. So give yourself a pat on the back also. Great job by you and your wife!!!

 

[Husker.Wed.]

There is. I work with a lot of young people and for the most part they are better people than I was at that age. At least they aren't wasted 24/7 like many of us were back then.

 

[baseball31ne]

More is learned by watching behavior than describing it. Dad keep it up and mom as well. Sounds like a lot of good is getting done.

 

[huskerfan66]

My wife and I do as well, you just wonder sometimes if your kids are paying attention when you do these things. It was refreshing to see that he has picked up on the example we set.

It's a small thing to do and you wonder if it means much. But it does. Had it happen to us once. We were eating supper one night with our son who had just finished his shift on duty at his base. We were able to meet shortly for supper.
When we got to the cash register the manager came over and told the lady running the cash register that he was taking over. I told the manager that our bill wasn't right that it was too cheap. The manager told us that someone in the restaurant had noticed our son in uniform and had paid for his meal.

Yes it does mean a lot when it happens so yes I am glad that I do the same thing.

However my son says he doesn't like to eat in his uniform because this happens more frequently than not.

 

[Dysfunctional Vet]

for the future. Went out to dinner with my 20 year old son tonight and towards the end of the meal he got up and told me he'd be back in a second and walked off. When he returned a couple of minutes later, I asked where he went. He told me, "I went up to pay for that gentleman's meal", I looked over to where he was indicating and saw an elderly veteran. Got to say I was a pretty proud dad tonight.

You should be very proud. Fine young man.

 

[Dysfunctional Vet]

You should be very proud. Fine young man.

Oh, and it definitely means alot. That old fart will be talking about that for a long time..

 

[ZaneHickey]

Thanks! My wife gets the lion's share of the credit though, she has done an amazing job raising our children. I just try not to screw up all the good she has done.

I know that situation well!

 

[hddude55]

There is. I work with a lot of young people and for the most part they are better people than I was at that age. At least they aren't wasted 24/7 like many of us were back then.

I think you have been lucky in your contacts. Talk to a few veteran, retired teachers over 70 or so before assuming others have had the same experience. Those veteran teachers will likely tell you “respect your elders” — whether veterans or otherwise —isn’t widely valued by many teens anymore, which I assume means it is no longer widely valued by many younger parents.

Of course I realize some bad things can come from blindly respecting ALL elders, if those elders are undeserving, for example the Catholic Church’s horrific sex abuse scandal. But I still find it sad that what my mother and father taught me as a basic value is now often considered old fashioned, or even just plain wrong.

Kudos to OP and his wife for doing a great job teaching values and kudos to their son for following their standards. We need more like them.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

I think you have been lucky in your contacts. Talk to a few veteran, retired teachers over 70 or so before assuming others have had the same experience. Those veteran teachers will likely tell you “respect your elders” — whether veterans or otherwise —isn’t widely valued by many teens anymore, which I assume means it is no longer widely valued by many younger parents.

Of course I realize some bad things can come from blindly respecting ALL elders, if those elders are undeserving, for example the Catholic Church’s horrific sex abuse scandal. But I still find it sad that what my mother and father taught me as a basic value is now often considered old fashioned, or even just plain wrong.

Kudos to OP and his wife for doing a great job teaching values and kudos to their son for following their standards. We need more like them.

The work young people mostly have STEM degrees, my gym young people are motivated to work out, and my volunteer group young people are volunteering. So I admit, the sample size of young people I am around all the time is biased toward being good kids.

 

[hddude55]

The work young people mostly have STEM degrees, my gym young people are motivated to work out, and my volunteer group young people are volunteering. So I admit, the sample size of young people I am around all the time is biased toward being good kids.

I didn’t mean to imply kids in general are better or worse, only that what I was taught about respecting elders doesn’t seem to be as important to many young parents as reflected in their kids’ behavior. I think it is society’s loss but realize other thinking adults disagree.

 

[Solana Beach Husker]

I certainly think kids respect their elders as well as the kids from the 60s, 70s, 80s....maybe more so. So many kids will have to rely on staying with their parents longer, staying on their insurance, and using their contacts for work. The generation of individualism, leaving your parents to strive for your own 5 bedroom house, then putting them in a retirement home because you don't have room, is long gone. And that wasn't this generation of kids, I'm sure of it.

 

[Husker Todd]

Don't discredit yourself, I don't care what some of these people say, but all children need a father. None of them are perfect but I miss my dad every day. So give yourself a pat on the back also. Great job by you and your wife!!!

I know, I just like to give my wife a little extra credit because she has put up with me for so long. My condolences on the loss of your father, I don't know what I will do when my father is gone. He has taught me so many valuable lessons and I still seek his advice to this day.

 

[Husker Todd]

It's a small thing to do and you wonder if it means much. But it does. Had it happen to us once. We were eating supper one night with our son who had just finished his shift on duty at his base. We were able to meet shortly for supper.
When we got to the cash register the manager came over and told the lady running the cash register that he was taking over. I told the manager that our bill wasn't right that it was too cheap. The manager told us that someone in the restaurant had noticed our son in uniform and had paid for his meal.

Yes it does mean a lot when it happens so yes I am glad that I do the same thing.

However my son says he doesn't like to eat in his uniform because this happens more frequently than not.

Thank you for raising such a fine young man and thanks from us to your son for his service. His great sacrifice for the rest of us does not go unnoticed.

 

[Husker Todd]

Oh, and it definitely means alot. That old fart will be talking about that for a long time..

He loves to pay his respects not only to the veterans, but to the elderly as well. He currently works in a diner and he loves conversing with the elderly regulars that come in, in the mornings. Again I think this is something he has picked up from his amazing mother, she takes care of the elderly and he has frequently gone to visit her at work over the years.