Anywhere you go you can hear a mom saying it,
"What do you say?"
Only to hear begrudgingly,
"PuhLEEASE can I have some now?"
Early on you are supposed to learn to 'mind your p's and q's'. I am afraid manners are a lost art form these days. When I was a kid my mom made me sit down every time I had a birthday and write out thank you notes. To be polite.
The only reason I listened to her is because I started to realize I got more stuff the next time if I sent a thank you note. Misguided motivations but I guess I learned it!
Often when giving out presents to the kids I work with I will see if any of the kids say thank you.
Usually they don't. I guess you can't blame them...maybe they've never been taught.
At Christmastime we handed out 100 presents at a local community center. After all the kids had left and we were cleaning up one little kid ran back in the doors and came up to hug me and say 'Thank you'. It was a touching moment.
It reminded me a little bit of the story in the Bible when only one leper came back to thank Jesus for healing them. (Okay, so it wasn't quite on the same level but you get the point).
When I was in 5th grade we had a teacher who actually taught us manners as a subject. She was very, very old and we thought we were so cool and didn't need manners. She thought we were all a bunch of whippersnappers and hooligans (her words, not mine). One day she read a story about two boys, named Tom and Dick. Tom had very good manners and always said polite things. Dick was a very bad little boy and never minded his manners. Suddenly she announced to us, "You know boys and girls, there sure are a lot of Dicks in this class!"
For some reason there was quite a bit of snickering at that point. I never did figure it out. :)
Working with kids myself now I know how hard it is to get kids to behave. I find myself constantly saying, "Stop running!", "Use your inside voice!", "Keep your hands to yourself!"
All things I swore I would never say when I 'grew up'.
I will leave you today with a quick poem I wrote.
Don't worry, I don't expect a 'thank you.'

Manners

"Wash your hands. Wipes your nose.
Mind your p's and 's!"
How can I remember all the don'ts
From all the do's?

"Take your elbows off the table!
Don't slouch in your chair.
Do not stick your bubblegum
In to your sister's hair!"

"Use your tissue, not your sweater
Give your mom a kiss.
Never mix up 'Mr'
With a 'Mrs' or a 'Miss'."

"Always say 'You're Welcome'
Never, ever roll your eyes
Never ask a lady what's her age
Or what's her size."

"Don't play with your vegetables
And don't run in the hall
And please don't stick your boogers
On my newly painted wall!"

"Always use your inside voice
Never ever shout..."

I guess I"ll just forget
What being a kid is all about!