As usual my post is completely ignored :rolleyes:

We were always taught, as children, to be respectful of others and their property. We were to knock at the door, and wait until asked in before entering, even if this were a family member's house. Even if we were asked to enter, we were trained to wait until a person was visible before stepping much beyond the foyer. Even when asked to 'make oneself at home,' we were to show restraint, as it never would be 'our home.' At home you might put your feet up and eat all of the cookies, but in someone else's life this, to me, is rude (and if I were truly were to make myself at home, I'd kick the owners out and get out the paint brushes and cans). I've been training my children to do the same.

Is this overkill in today's world? I personally am annoyed (oh, I mean more than usual) when a child who should know better comes into the house and begins to act as if he/she lived there. Trust me, I have enough who behave as if they 'lived there' - they do, and they think that I live to serve them.

I can only assume that all of these children have watched Peter Jackson's Gimli sitting in Denethor's throne and figured, well, monkey see...;)