Respect the Elderly

Sometimes when I go shopping with daughter, strangers would make a comment about daughter. Usually they would say things like "You are so cute." or "Your dress is so pretty."

Yesterday while at a thrift store's check out line, an elderly African American lady said to me/daughter "Why aren't you in school?". Then she said her children were in a New York Montessori school at my daughter's age.

When I heard her question, my mother's advice to respect the elderly zapped into my head. For a second I wanted to tell her that I am homeschooling daughter. But I decided it was not the place nor time to have this long conversation as I was rushing to visit a friend. So I decided to redirect the conversation.

Instead of answering her question, I asked her if she missed New York's weather.

She said that after went through 16 years of snow storms with no breaks in between, she decided to move to Texas and has been here for 11 years.

She didn't smile or look friendly towards daughter during this conversation, and daughter had a puzzled look on her face. I guess she was wondering why this Auntie didn't smile like everyone else in the store.

When we walked towards the car, an elderly Caucasian lady who was waiting in her car, saw daughter and waved friendlily towards her. As usual daughter waved back friendlily too.

I think it is important to show daughter we need to respect all kinds of people, friendly or not.