Social Values are Declining in Malaysian Society

I was talking to a friend of mine this week about young parents making plans to migrate to another country while they have school-going children. One thing lead to another. We started discussing about the declined in social vaues in children nowadays that we have observed daily when we are out and about in town.

My friend, Esther shared an interesting observation of hers with me. She is a recent retiree (old school) and would usually meet up with her old  classmates and friends once a month at a classy hotel to have Hi-Tea get-together. She was pretty annoyed in this particular Hi-Tea gathering she had with her friends.

As usual, they ordered their Hi-Teas and sat down to sip their afternoon tea and enjoy a quiet social exchange and ‘catch-up’ between each other.

Suddenly, there were two young children running around the table next to Esther, as their mum was sitting next to theirs. These young children were running around their table as well as around the hall. They were also running up and down the short wooden staircase leading to a platform. Their foot steps created ongoing loud thumps everyone can hear in the hall. These children’s mum was oblivious to their behavior.

The ‘mum’ continued to enjoy her tea while her children were left running around the hall making noises.

Esther was a person who has been raised in the old school. In the old school, kids are taught to behave themselves while in public venues and functions. Old-schooled kids are taught ‘manners’, to acknowledge older adults as ‘Uncles’ or ‘Aunties’, to say ‘Thank you’, to be polite, to share, to be quiet when having a meal and not to ‘poke’ or ‘pick’ at your food.

These old-schooled ‘manners’ or ’social values’ are usually taught by mothers at home. Fathers have another role to play those days. Fathers were meant to ‘bring home the bacon’. How these kids behaved at home would be seen as a reflection of how kids may behave in public.

Nowadays, we see young parents having fewer children. They do not instill ‘good manners’ or ’social values’ taught in old-school to their children any longer. We found children running around in shopping malls. These kids tend to talk back and speak rudely to their parents. These children no longer greet elders. They are left to do whatever they fancy and go wherever they want to. Generally, children can get away with almost anything these days.

I know I am a culprit in this too. I tend to spoil my youngest to bits. But I always have a rule. I teach my child how to behave in front of elders, teachers and in friend’s homes. Always minding their P’s and Q’s.

Should parents let their children do whatever they want?

Should parents leave the teaching of ‘social values’ to the school because they are busy with their career, business or active lifestyle?

Or should young parents leave the learning of ‘manners’ to their caregivers like foreign maids?

As young parents, what do you have to say on this?