I was driving back from Bend, Oregon yesterday and as many of us do on long road trips, I began to think about life. The family and I went to visit my parents; we sure did have a good time.
What I began to wonder is why my dad always stressed that I be polite and courteous, especially when most of my friends, as a child, lacked practicing what my father tried to instill in me. At the time, it seemed to give them an edge by 'not caring' about how they made others feel because they always got what they wanted. This confused the heck out of me.
My wife (we have been together over 13 years) has always practised being polite and courteous, still does, and people just love her. She constantly reminds my two year old to say thank you and please; I admit that sometimes I struggle with that because I subconsciously still associate that with my childhood experience's. I am totally wrong to think that.
My father use to tell me courtesy does not take away from being valiant. I had know idea what he meant, but I tried to follow his mantra anyways.
I would like to share with you a cool article from Zig Ziglar that may shed some light on the 'why'. It is posted following the add.
I hope you enjoy it:)
Please and Thank You
by Zig Ziglar,
Of all the things a parent can teach a child, manners rates very close to the top of the "must teach" list. Number one, when a child is taught, from the time he 
or she can talk, to say "thank you," you are teaching that child thankfulness. The insertion of the word "please" in a request changes the child from a demanding person to one who accepts the fact that when they ask a favor or make a request, the parent has no automatic obligation to respond favorably to that request. Response to "please" is much better than the "get this for me" demand type of approach.
Psychiatrist Smiley Blanton says that roughly 80% of all of the counseling he does is the direct result of parents not having taught their children manners. He emphasizes that he is talking about more than table manners; he's talking about the whole spectrum of deportment and civility. That's significant because the record indicates that most top executives in any field of endeavor are courteous, thoughtful people. Example: One hundred seventy-five of the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies are former Marines and 26 of our presidents served in the military. The military teaches respect and manners. I challenge you, when you encounter a former career military person who moved up in the ranks, you will be impressed with their old-fashioned courtesies, including, "Yes, Sir," "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank you," "Please," and other expressions of good civility and deportment. They are taught to serve before they earn the right to command.
or she can talk, to say "thank you," you are teaching that child thankfulness. The insertion of the word "please" in a request changes the child from a demanding person to one who accepts the fact that when they ask a favor or make a request, the parent has no automatic obligation to respond favorably to that request. Response to "please" is much better than the "get this for me" demand type of approach.Psychiatrist Smiley Blanton says that roughly 80% of all of the counseling he does is the direct result of parents not having taught their children manners. He emphasizes that he is talking about more than table manners; he's talking about the whole spectrum of deportment and civility. That's significant because the record indicates that most top executives in any field of endeavor are courteous, thoughtful people. Example: One hundred seventy-five of the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies are former Marines and 26 of our presidents served in the military. The military teaches respect and manners. I challenge you, when you encounter a former career military person who moved up in the ranks, you will be impressed with their old-fashioned courtesies, including, "Yes, Sir," "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank you," "Please," and other expressions of good civility and deportment. They are taught to serve before they earn the right to command.
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