Seasoned teachers are masters at keeping kids in line. Why? Because they establish classroom rules and stick to them.
Do your kids have behavioral problems? If so, you might consider adopting some of these classroom rules for your home.
Wondering which ones will serve you the best? You’re reading the right article. Here are eight to try.
1. Keep Your Hands To Yourself
Society has long been lacking a focus on consent. For years, unwanted touching has been seen as a sort of norm. This is a habit that starts in childhood and, when not deterred by parents, creeps into older age.
Want your children to understand and practice consent? If so, you should institute the “keep your hands to yourself” rule in your home. It’s a simple concept that kids will understand: don’t lay a finger on another person unless that person is alright with you doing so.
Not only can this rule assist in combatting general discomfort but violence as well. Plus, it will help your children develop a respect for their fellow humans.
Need help establishing it? If so, you might consider utilizing social narratives.
2. Follow Directions
There aren’t many shortcuts in life. You can’t become a doctor by routinely skipping class, after all. You have to follow the established guideline that’s been predetermined by others; in other words, you have to follow directions.
Unfortunately, this is one of those school rules that often gets overlooked at home. A child might handle his or her responsibilities in the classroom but shirk them while under the guidance of his or her parents.
This can’t be allowed. You must instill in your child the importance of following directions. Following directions puts you in a position to succeed in society, giving you the chance to lead the happiest and most fulfilling life possible.
Note, your kids will likely push back against this rule. It’s your job, as the parent, to be firm in your assertions. It may be frustrating now, but it will pay dividends over time.
3. Always Give Your All
Another rule you should consider implementing in your home is the rule of always giving you all. When used in school, this rule promotes the idea of working to achieve good grades. When used in the home, it promotes the ideas of work ethic, kindness, and perseverance.
Of course, you shouldn’t punish your children for coming up short sometimes. It’s going to happen and you should take it in stride. But you should always be encouraging, trying to inspire max effort in your kids.
4. Be Prepared
When it comes to leading a successful life, few things are as important as preparation. Proper preparation sets us on the path that we need to succeed. It opens us up to possibility and inspires us to act.
As such, “be prepared” is one of the rules that should be instituted in your home. Not only should your kids be prepared for small endeavors like welcoming company, but they should be prepared for large endeavors like sporting events as well.
If they approach life with a prepared mindset, they’ll be able to give 100% to everything they do. Not to mention, they’ll be better at adapting to change.
5. Show Up On Time
Perhaps the most important rule to teach your kids is to show up on time. You can avoid a number of pitfalls in life simply by showing up when you agreed to show up. This is true in business just as much as it is in your personal life.
After all, there are plenty of people who simply come to work on time, slack off at their desk, get paid, and lead happy, healthy lives. It’s not encouraged but it’s much preferred to being unemployed.
6. Clean Up After Yourself
Could you imagine an entire school’s worth of kids who were completely unable to clean up after themselves? It would be chaos and would add a substantial amount of work to teachers’ dockets.
Why doesn’t this occur at school? Because it’s not allowed to occur at school. Kids are expected to clean up after themselves and if they don’t, they’re punished.
The same should go for your home. You need to let your child know your expectations of cleanliness. If he or she doesn’t meet these expectations (within reason), punishment needs to be levied.
7. Be Honest
You know what they say: honesty is the best policy. And as of right now, we’ve seen nothing that would make that statement any less true. Being honest not only strengthens your bonds with others, but it also makes you more comfortable with yourself.
Conversely, lying and omitting information puts you in a state of limbo where you’re always looking for the other shoe to drop. This creates feelings of anxiety that adversely affect one’s quality of life.
To promote honesty in your children, try not to get angry with them when they make mistakes. If their mistakes are met with anger, they will start lying just to avoid such anger.
8. Ask Questions
The last rule you should establish is to ask questions. After all, how can one learn without asking questions?
Of course, if you’re going to implement this rule, you need to do your part as well; you need to answer those questions. And if you can’t answer those questions, you need to find someone who can.
Don’t ever shame your children for having inquiring minds. They’re humans just like you and they’re constantly trying to figure out the world that surrounds them.
These Classroom Rules Can Make All The Difference
Kids can be boisterous. They can push your buttons until you’re ready to snap. But there’s no need to snap. Instead, you can establish order by implementing some of these classroom rules in your home.
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Reading this post as a teacher? You could find more inspiration on websites for teachers, in order to provide the best possible education for your students.
