Let me teach you some manners, how bout' dat?
I grew up in a family that paid a lot of importance, attention and practiced manners every single day for as long as I can remember. We were all well-behaved and put together as we were growing up but would still miss every once in a while.
I'm the eldest in the family and I was my parents' guinea pig for a while, I had a taste of spanking (although some parents won't agree to this kind of discipline, it worked for me.) I also experienced that when my mom calls me with my full name, she is already upset and you need to put everything down and go straight to her. We were told to knock and ask if there is someone in the toilet or in a room and ask if we can come in, and the list goes on and on and on.
These are just simple ways of making us learn how to do things right and you just have to do it every time, even if you are with the family. And there are a few things that I learned from my mom and I would like to do the same with my little one.
Point 1. You are visiting your family, not relatives, but your immediate family, say your brother or sister or your mom and dad, just in case you are no longer staying with them, learn to take your shoes off when you are entering the house. If they say, it's fine, then you can wear them provided that you wiped your soles and made sure it is dirt free. We were raised in a clean house, my mom is big when it comes to cleaning, and she would clean every single corner of the house. I do the same, I say, have the courtesy to wipe your dirty ass on the mat, that is the reason why it was placed in there in the first place. I don't clean the house just because. I clean it because I have a 5-year-old kid who likes to play on the floor and I don't need your dirty shoes in my house.
Point 2. You go to your family's house for lunch or dinner, all of you were full. You had a good time, you were probably served the best steak or chicken with all the good stuff. Now, it is time to go home, but because you are family, you think it is okay to just get whatever you want (leftovers) and put it in a goody bag without even asking the host if you can have some. That is disrespectful, now, this is especially for the ladies, it could be a sister or a sister in law or your MIL or even your own mother, ask the host --- nicely if you can take home the leftovers because I am positive that they will say yes, but stop going through the fridge and the cabinets trying to look for containers so you can help yourself put everything that you want to take home. This is such a major turn off, especially for the ladies. Stop. Again, ask the host if you can have some. Don't be an asshole.
Point 3. You get invited to a gathering, it could be a Christmas reunion or a simple get together or a birthday. The host decided to use disposables for a reason, maybe, just maybe she doesn't like washing the dishes, after all, she probably helped in preparing the spread and she just wants to throw it away just like that. After all, the host will be cleaning the house after you leave, have a little bit of decency of trying not to ask for the usual spoon or fork or plate unless you have plans of washing them or the reason why you want to use the shiny spoon and fork is because you are allergic to plastics, then by all means, I will get them for you. But if you just want to use it because you like it, then stop being a diva, put them back and use the disposables that were placed on the table for a reason, let it serve its purpose.
Point 4. Clean after yourself, this is not to punish you, but if you are a functioning human being with no disability, please for the love of whatever it is out there, clean after your shit! (sorry!) Even disabled people try, why can't you, you little piece shit! (sorry!) Those dishes won't wash themselves. The toilet won't flush on its own, and let us not forget the water jars, water will not magically fill it up. Make yourself useful around the house.
I have a daughter and I intend to teach her how to say "thank you" and "please" knowing her manners will go a long way, it doesn't matter if you are with family or friends more so, with strangers. A mother should teach her children how to do it right.