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‘Raised Right’: People List 33 Characteristics That Indicate Someone Has Good Morals
Article created by: Vėja Elkimavičiūtė
I’ve worked with many kids. I’ve been a teacher, a babysitter, a camp counselor, an au pair and a performer in countless children’s theater shows. And while I recognize that kids are the future, and their brains are amazing, creative sponges soaking up so much knowledge and sharing much more wisdom than they often get credit for, no child is perfect. In fact, some are even annoying. (Sorry!) Children who demand things without saying ‘please’ or ‘thank you’, who pick on their peers, and who throw a fit any time they lose a game are my least favorite kids to come across. And while they will likely grow out of this behavior, it’s always extremely clear which children have been taught at home how to be respectful, kind and compassionate.In honor of those kids and their parents, we’ve gathered a list down below of qualities Reddit users have been sharing that indicate that someone was “raised right”. From being able to own up to their mistakes to always holding doors open for others, this article is full of some of the most refreshing behaviors to observe in others. Keep reading to also find conversations we were lucky enough to have with Scarlet Paolicchi, the woman behind Family Focus Blog, and Amy Morrison, founder of Pregnant Chicken, to hear their thoughts on the topic.
Be sure to upvote all of the responses you agree with, and feel free to pat yourself on the back for all of these ideas you’ve also instilled in your little ones. Then, if you’re interested in reading about the telltale signs that someone was not raised right, you can find a Bored Panda article exploring that topic right here!
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#1
Out on a lake with my son and he turned his jet ski around in the opposite direction we were heading...so he could pick up some plastic trash floating in the lake.
He hangs out and eats at his girlfriend's house a lot. I offered some grocery money to his parents (as I know how much 19 year old boys eat). She said not to worry about it; that she enjoys cooking for him; and did I know that he does the dishes for her after she cooks?
Also, after he got his own car, he developed a hobby of stopping to help other motorists who were having trouble (jump starting their cars; helping to push their broken down cars to the gas station, etc.)
Sorry for the humble brag but he's a good kid.
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#2
How well they treat people in the service industry. Not just waitstaff in a restaurant but security guards, cleaners, hotel housekeeping, etc.
Mike Rodrick 6 months ago
That's a good measure of a person's quality but not necessarily their upbringing.
#4
I have a friend that's a high school teacher. It really bothers her that some of the poorer students have such a hard time with everything so for Christmas she used her own money to buy groceries and made hampers and donated them to those of her students she figured needed it the most. She didn't even want to distribute them herself so she asked the principal of the school to call them in discreetly to his office and give them out. Principal decides it's too good a story to cover up and distributes them during assembly and publicly praises my friend. This made her so boiling mad. In fact the only reason I found out was because she was so mad she called me to vent. I suspect that she does this regularly and just never tells anyone.
#6
- When they apologize (or admit they screwed up), even if it's for something minor. You'd be amazed at how few people do this and really mean it.
- Someone who openly admits that they don't know something.
- Someone who has an openness to communicate with just about anyone, regardless of race/social status/occupation/etc.
#9
Watch how a person treats someone that can do nothing for them. Most people are only nice for their own motives.
#10
I have a perfect story for this. Last Friday night I was a chaperone at my daughter’s prom. I had been observing the students dancing and enjoying themselves to notice one girl, without a date,standing just on the periphery of the dance floor slowing swaying to the beat. She never danced with the group,but appeared to want to. The last slow dance of the evening started and to my heartwarming joy a college aged young man, a brother of one of the students, walked confidently over to her, politely asked her to dance, and focused on her the whole song. At the end of the song he bowed and stepped away, all with cool grace. Never once was he bothered or seemed to be focused on anything other than her enjoyment at that moment. He was raised well.
#11
I knew I'd like my in laws when my now-husband did the dishes without prompting. I also knew they raised him right when he immediately helped my dog when she was dealing with back problems. He swaddled her up, carried her to the car while my Mum called the vet and cuddled me and her the whole way to the vet. The dog is completely healthy now and very happy. But seeing how he just helped and made sure we were okay told me he came from a good family.
I love my in laws. They are generous, funny and have good morals. Also, they live two hours away.
#13
They take responsibility and try to learn from their mistakes instead of trying to put the blame on others.
#15
First time my bf picked me up from my house, he rang the doorbell, came in, and introduced himself to my family (immediate & visiting aunt & uncle). After dating guys for years who’d just text, “I’m outside,” it was refreshing & I immediately knew he’d been raised right.
Hasn’t proved me wrong yet, either.
#17
Just passed a Father pushing his family’s cart through Target and overheard him teaching his son to walk closer to the cart, “so you’re not in anyone else’s way while they’re shopping.” We locked eyes and I have an approving nod.
#20
When my fiancée and I were heading to a 5K run and we were picking up a friend on the way there, my fiancée said “Bring the sunscreen for our friend, just in case they didn’t put any on.” Simple, but reminded me of just how thoughtful my fiancée is.
#21
Whenever someone actually takes in what I say when I disagree with them and gives it a think. Right or wrong, I admire when someone knows to question something they believe. I hope my own son can be skeptical within reason.
#23
An anecdote rather than a generalisation, but: Was at a buffet the other day, little girl (3) comes back to the neighbouring table with her dad, and the straw pops out of her drink, immediately her brother (6) says "you can borrow my straw" - the immediacy of his response, and the selflessness...I think they're being raised right. :)
#25
They respect other's property and personal space. I've met so many people that just do not do this. They are the type of person to walk into your house and start touching everything or sit on the couch and put their feet on the coffee table.
#26
They respect boundaries- for themselves and with others. They are not afraid to say “No” and respect when others do the same. Unfortunately, a lack of boundaries is an issue for a lot of people. Children who grow up in a healthy environment typically have secure attachment with others; handling boundaries well in adulthood is a good indication that they were “raised right.”
#27
Many excellent points here- also how they talk about other people. Gossiping is pretty normal but how a person speaks of others and carries the secrets shared with them is a big indicator of their morals and how I 'see' them as a person. It's one thing to share with a husband, wife, or closest friend the secrets or shortcomings of people you know and your blunt opinion about them. It's another thing entirely to use this information as social ammo, stepping on the heads of people who've trusted you with details about their life by sharing them flagrantly. Being trustworthy and seeing the best in others, even when they can't see it themselves, is a mark of being raised well to me- the ability to be a good person and not take the easy cheap shots.
#28
If they are kind or generous to the homeless, speak up when they see someone being mistreated or disrespected in public. The way they treat their parents and family is also indicative of their raising, in my opinion. How they respond to heated situations—if they are quick to anger and how they react to it. When they go to stores, if they choose not to purchase something, they put it back where it came from rather than leaving a mess for the employee.
#29
They bring their dishes to the sink or wash them when they are eating at someone else's house.
#30
This reminded me of when I went to go visit my cousin in California and he was just taking me around L.A. showing me the city and whatnot, all the cool touristy things.
Then we turn onto a road and he sees a car parked on the shoulder with its four ways on and two women standing outside of it. He immediately pulls over in front of them, gets out and asks them if they need any help at all or if they need to use his phone to call someone. They politely said no, and he got back in and we left.
Even as a Canadian, I was taken aback by his random act of kindness. Love my cousin.
#31
Turns their hand over, palm side up to let a strange dog sniff their hand before engaging. Also asking if they can pet my dog before accosting her. She’s very skittish and I simply don’t get how many people randomly pet her without permission and then get angry when she growls or snaps at them.
#32
People who listen. I have had friends who I had lots of fun with, but they ignored half of what I said. It's dehumanizing. Ironically enough they do it to their parents who are nothing but respectful and loving. I didn't have parents like that. And they wont even give them the courtesy of listening.
#33
They know the importance of communication.
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