Each day, over 350,000 babies are introduced to the world. Every one of them being exposed to things they have never seen before for the first time. Each one is completely innocent and unaware of what could go wrong for them. They are all born innocent, and they have the power to stay this way, even with the power of others’ influence.

Growing up, my parents taught me what is right from wrong and that I should always be polite and kind to others. I remember singing a song called “Please and thank you are the magic words” over and over again with my father before school. It made me think that I could magically get whatever I asked for if I were just polite. My parents also used to give me scenarios to picture in my head and ask what I would do. If I made the right decision, they would give me a gold star. My parents wanted to enforce the idea that polite manners were essential to succeed in the world.

Which is true, for practical things, such as asking a friend for a pencil, or saying thank you to a stranger holding the door. But it is also true for the bigger picture. If someone is hiring for a job and they are stuck between two applicants, one being polite and kind, the other rude and disrespectful, the employee will most likely pick the more polite applicant.

So if people are more likely to choose the more polite person, why do people decide to go bad and become rude? I have no doubt it relies solely on what their parents teach them from a young age.

I am aware that not all parents sing a song about manners to their children everyday, and that not all have the time for that. However, I think it is necessary that parents simply put in some effort to teaching what is right from wrong, so that their children do not end up as rude and disrespectful people.

Some people think the bad are all bad. I disagree. I believe that from the day an innocent baby is born to the day he or she dies, there will always be a little bit of good in them. Even bad people are born with good instincts, and they stay with them their entire life. They will always have the power to change for the better, if they just listened to their good instincts when making bad decisions. If every person did this, the world would be so much more desirable.