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Is it too late to raise polite children?

Sure, it’s easy to put the blame on Snooki, Simon Cowell, the “Real Housewives” and several other likely targets, but a prevailingly crass level of discourse in our society has spilled beyond the parameters of pop culture and into virtually every facet of our everyday lives. From the man on the street to holders of high office, good manners and basic civility seem to have taken a back seat n
Leland Bobbe / Getty Images stock / Today

Sure, it’s easy to put the blame on Snooki, Simon Cowell, the “Real Housewives” and several other likely targets, but a prevailingly crass level of discourse in our society has spilled beyond the parameters of pop culture and into virtually every facet of our everyday lives. From the man on the street to holders of high office, good manners and basic civility seem to have taken a back seat now more than ever, and many are wondering if we’ve reached a point of no return. Can the politeness be restored?

This week, TODAY is airing a series of segments devoted to this question, and a huge part of it applies to parents. As mothers and fathers, how do we compete with the noise of our culture in terms of influencing our children? Are our kids destined to be rude? What are you doing, as parents, to stem the tide? Watch the video and share your thoughts in the comment section.