After reading all these comments, I find myself wishing boys were raised with the rules, as well. Perhaps we would have PEACE on Earth!

Well said MaryPage! I was told that I should always say “please” and “thank you”,wear white gloves and a hat to church,chew with my mouth closed,always have on clean underwear,ladies do not swear,and to always respect my elders.

Although I did a healthy amount of rebelling at most of the things that I have been mentioned, one thing did stick. When I was ten, my mother made me write 500 times (I still have the paper) “I will not raise my voice.” As I grew up, the dreaded sentence became a reminder for me that yelling is unacceptable, I better learn how to express anger or disapproval or opposition in a quiet voice. So Ma was right on that one. Don’t we all listen more carefully to a rational, articulate spokesman?

Remember being 5 or 6 and sitting in your birthday dress with your hands folded in you lap? My mother always would hold Grace Kelly up as the paragon of a lady. Funny to later learn how randy she behaved before she became the Princess of Monaco. I remember being annoyed that a lady always waited for someone to open/hold the door for her, never lit her own cig, never took second helpings. Wasn’t it just common courtesy for both sexes?

Aside from most of the things mentioned, my mother taught me to lose at tennis, or any other competitive sport. My father taught me that if I went out to a bar with a guy to at least buy him one drink.

My mother never thought of “ladies” but did teach us to sew and cook and consider other people - My father quoted Shakespeare & said a woman’s voice should be ever soft & low - He also hated to see me swear - other than that…

Nice girls didn’t shave above the knee and always let the man win.

All the things that Ms. Bergen wrote…..add to that, “Think like a man, work like a horse, act like a lady.” [Who originally said that anyway?]

Really the only thing I can think of….chew with your mouth closed. What a great gift!

Keep your underwear under there.

Keep your legs crossed….

…must wear a dress….ughughughugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!