The UK usually has individuals with such manners. IS Scotland somehow lacking?

Question

Are Scottish manners from the elder generation lacking?

My in laws are here from Scotland. My husband has impeccable manners but he also moved out of parents house at 16 years old. If I had to judge my husband on his parents manners we seriously would not of been married.

Eating out is nothing but a nightmare and an embarassement. NOT one meal out goes without some complaint. Most recent the never ending bittttching about no tomatoes due to contamination issue here in the states. MIL asking for "fresh orange" everywhere we go. Nobody knows what she is talking about, nor does she even try to help the server. I bought my in laws small trinkets for a gift. no thank you, only "We saw those".

The in laws have complained to me about so and so cooking, this personsl this and that. They have said too many things about thier other daugher in law to me.. who can make pie crusts and mirange like nobody else. My spouse finally asked them to hush up.

Manners are not tactful at least from my in laws. Is this a cultural thing or a soc

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Additional Details

1 minute ago

Why are their manners not as tactful as their sons? Is it a generational issue or a social eneptness that just seems to be shared the inlaws ?

Answer 1

I feel sorry for you for what you're going through but I assure you it's nothing particularly to do with their being scottish ... it's just the sort of people they are ... maybe your husband found out the value of good manners more because of the example his parents set (kids often want to be the exact opposite of their parents, and if he was embarrassed by them when he was younger maybe it made him all the more determined to learn good manners)

there's rude people from every nationality ... just be thankful you don't have to live near them and see them more often ... and don't let it spoil your relationship with your husband

Answer 2

I went out with a Scottish guy, he complained about everything, was aggresive and moody and so were all his mates and family. Never again!

Answer 3

It's probably age.  I noticed that when my parents got older they got more 'moany' about things and I reckon most of us will end up the same.

Ask your husband if they were always like that or if they've got worse as they've got older.  Hopefully he'll say that they used to be OK (which would be why his manners are fine).

Something else I've noticed about older people is that they like to talk about themselves and aren't particularly interested in anything anyone else has done.  

Apologies if you're an older person who isn't like this but I have noticed it with my relatives (especially the 65+ category).

Answer 4

People can be uppity anywhere !  

Scotland is full of nice non-uppity people !

Answer 5

i dont think its because they are scottish, it sounds as if they cant stand you

Answer 6

United Kingdom includess of England, Scotland and Welch. There may be many factors contributing to the behavior you described. If you conduct a survey, you may receive similar comments about visiting in-laws from other parts of the world. This may be a family or surrounding community  trait. Not each and every Scotsman would behave like this, e.g. your husband. Don't broadbrush a characteristic for a whole population based on one or two individual groups.

Let your husband handle the situation: 1)they are his parents, 2) he has grownup with them so, he can deal with the situation very tactfully. They are visitors - they will leave soon.

Good luck.