North vs South

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

Yep, I was raised to call people Mrs. Smith, not Miss firstname, but the Miss Firstname can be perfect. When I was in college, I worked with people with various ages; generally, we called people by their first names, but with southern ladies of a mature age, calling them Miss Firstname seemed perfect. It seemed respectful and yet not as formal as Mrs. Lastname would have seemed.

I tell the kids I teach in camp or swim lessons to call me either Ms. Lastname or Tracey. I'm not that much older than all of them. I really hate being called Miss Lifeguard though...aaauugh! Firstname or Miss Lastname is fine with me, but Miss Tracey for some reason does my head in .

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

I tell the kids I teach in camp or swim lessons to call me either Ms. Lastname or Tracey. I'm not that much older than all of them. I really hate being called Miss Lifeguard though...aaauugh! Firstname or Miss Lastname is fine with me, but Miss Tracey for some reason does my head in .

In my example, the age difference was about thirty or so years. It seemed rude to only call them by first name, and yet the cultural of the place was so informal.

I think there's also a Southern trend to call everyone Aunt, Uncle or Cousin and then first name, even when it's like a second cousin, great aunt etc.

I keep thinking more about this. Why is it only women who get this treatment, usually? Because they're the one's working with kids?

[lillady85]

Ah! I totally agree with the strong handshake suggestion. I know I used to have a wimpy handshake thinking it was more ladylike, but now as I got older I came to see that if I want to be taken as a lady AND serious (not that it can't be done at the same time) I'd need to show some assertiveness in my handshake. I don't think there is a definite difference in between North and south as far as manners go, but there is a point where you wonder, why are these people being so rude (I know I felt that way in NY, no offense)?

end of drunken rambling after not drinking out of a bottle but out of a glass, lol.