Standing When an Adult Enters the Room

[Ernie]

Can anybody tell me when and why the practice started of children standing when an adult enters the room?

Can anybody tell me why this school only expects 4th and 5th graders to do so? https://www.sjs.org/about-sjs/our-mission

[barnhart]

I don't know anything about that, but I was raised in a culture where children did not refer to adults using their first name unless it included a title like Mr./Ms. or Aunt/Uncle. To this day I don't feel comfortable using the first name of someone older than I am. I've taught my children the same.

[Ken]

I don't know about standing. But calling adults "sir" and "Ma'am" is definitely still a southern thing. My kids picked it up in Texas when we lived there and their teachers here in WA all found it quaint when we moved.

[Neto]

I don't know about standing. But calling adults "sir" and "Ma'am" is definitely still a southern thing. My kids picked it up in Texas when we lived there and their teachers here in WA all found it quaint when we moved.

I grew up in Oklahoma (whether that counts as 'The South' or not is a matter for someone else to resolve), and at 65, after not having lived in any place that could be called 'The South' for over 35 years, I still address men, even those much younger than myself, as 'Sir'. Now with women it's a bit more tricky, as many now-a-days take offense at being addressed as "Ma'am". (But I do occasionally slip up & use that form of address.)

[Ken]

I don't know about standing. But calling adults "sir" and "Ma'am" is definitely still a southern thing. My kids picked it up in Texas when we lived there and their teachers here in WA all found it quaint when we moved.

I grew up in Oklahoma (whether that counts as 'The South' or not is a matter for someone else to resolve), and at 65, after not having lived in any place that could be called 'The South' for over 35 years, I still address men, even those much younger than myself, as 'Sir'. Now with women it's a bit more tricky, as many now-a-days take offense at being addressed as "Ma'am". (But I do occasionally slip up & use that form of address.)

In Texas if you call the wrong woman "Ma'am" you'll probably get a "Well bless your heart honey...but you can call me____"

[steve-in-kville]

Can anybody tell me when and why the practice started of children standing when an adult enters the room?

I never heard of this. I've been exposed to children not allowed to talk at the dinner table, though.

We did have neighbors once that moved up from the south. They left us know from the start that they expected to be addressed a certain way. That was ackward

[Valerie]

I don't know about standing. But calling adults "sir" and "Ma'am" is definitely still a southern thing. My kids picked it up in Texas when we lived there and their teachers here in WA all found it quaint when we moved.

I never heard of the children standing either (no surprise since I come from southern California)

Growing up we never called adults by first names- it was Mr. or Mrs. or Miss so and so-
That's fallen by the way side for the most part.

As a cashier in Ohio, I always call men 'sir' and some have objected to that, I do it out of respect but some actually feel funny about it- I'm not sure why?

When a customer refers to me as Ma'am, I always ask them where they are from (assuming the South) or if they were in the military- that's usually the only time I'm referred to that way. Ohioans generally don't say ma'am- I DO- but like Neto said, women 'can' take offense to it if they don't feel old enough for that title yet- when you're trying to get someone's attention, and you don't know their name, it's awkward to figure out how to reference them, if/when needed.

The practice of children standing up seems so respectful, something lost on this generation for the most part.

[steve-in-kville]

The practice of children standing up seems so respectful, something lost on this generation for the most part.

When the POTUS enters a room , everyone stands and doesn't sit down until he does. The military is the same... when a senior officer enters, all stand at attention until told otherwise. There's also special protocol for the Queen of England... I'm sure could fill us in

I have never seen this in real life, BTW.

[Valerie]

The practice of children standing up seems so respectful, something lost on this generation for the most part.

When the POTUS enters a room , everyone stands and doesn't sit down until he does. The military is the same... when a senior officer enters, all stand at attention until told otherwise. There's also special protocol for the Queen of England... I'm sure could fill us in

I have never seen this in real life, BTW.

Same with when 'the judge' enters a courtroom. It's a matter of 'respect'.
I 'think' it used to happen when a woman entered the room when men were sitting. The women's lib movement destroyed so many things, that gave women respect- all they really were seeking in the movement was power & money,, they do not appreciate the gender distinctions that had men stand, or give up their seat, or open doors for them, or allow them to go ahead of them, etc. They traded all that for 'power'.

[Ernie]

Same with when 'the judge' enters a courtroom. It's a matter of 'respect'.

Is this still the norm in all parts of the USA?