Back to School Etiquette Rules - Part 1

This is a hectic time of year for many families as we get kids back into the swing of a school schedule and school responsibilities. This presents a great opportunity to talk to your kids about some etiquette tips that will help them this school year and into their future!

1) Respect time - tell your children what time school starts and explain the importance of honoring that by arriving on time. Being late is disruptive to everyone in the class. However, it isn’t wise to show up too early because the teacher may not be prepared. 

2) How to address elders or those in authority - If your child hasn’t yet learned how to address adults in authority, explain that teachers should be called Miss, Mrs., Ms., or Mr. with their last names. You can reinforce this by addressing the teachers in the same way to prevent confusion for your child. Children (and adults) need to understand that the use of the proper title shows respect.

3) Cleanliness - Express how important it is to be clean and dressed appropriately for school. This includes bathing, washing hands after eating, and brushing teeth. Cleanliness also can apply to their cubby or desk space - keeping this clean will help them learn to keep a tidy work space in the future and lead to less lost homework in the present!