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Bill Belew has raised 2 bi-cultural kids, now 34 and 30. And he and his wife are now parenting a 3rd, Mia, who is 8.

Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin Says Thank You

We live in California – Silicon Valley – Sunnyvale.

Daddy says that the culture here in California is different than other places he has been. Common sense is not common here. And when that happens it looks like bad manners … or worse.

Click => to read another example of Common Sense Not Being Common – Eating

“Californians don’t know how to say, ‘Thank you’,” says Daddy.

Really?

“They don’t know how to say ‘I’m sorry’ either. But that’s a different story. But in the past couple of days I have seen, or not seen, that people in this area don’t know how to say ‘Thank you.'”

Can you give me an example or two?

“Yesterday morning on our way to school. Good thing you were looking at your movie.”

Why’s that?

“The guy next to us was in the wrong lane and trying to cross over two lanes to get off the expressway. He was stuck and I was trying to figure out how to let him over. When I finally could let him in front of me, he said his thank you by waving his middle finger at me.”

What does waving a middle finger mean, daddy?

“It doesn’t mean he was saying thank you. I can explain in more detail when you are older.”

Daddy, why isn’t saying ‘thank you’ the same everywhere?

“Good question, Sweetie, Good question.

Talk to Bill and others about their experiences raising bi-cultural Japanese-American kids.

Bill Belew

Professional Blogger, social media marketer, professor of marketing, Christian and dad.

One Comment

  • Josie McHale says:

    For sure!!! Californians especially don’t have a clue on how to be polite or courteous let alone be conscientious. What does that mean? It means thinking positively of others in doing the right thing. Too bad that driver was having a bad day that day otherwise he would have thought how nice your Daddy was being by letting him go through. Never loose sight of doing the right thing. 🙂

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