Schools are reopening, people have tucked COVID-19 away from their minds, started going about their daily chores and shopping for the season has begun. This essentially means that the virus could start spreading much faster than before.
Here are a few habits or etiquette practices that you should inculcate in your kids as they resume classroom learning.
- Give them a pouch for the mask and show them how to keep the mask safely without soiling it whenever they remove it for a meal or a drink of water. Masks should not be left on desks or other surfaces and should not be pulled down to the chin. It ends up catching the bugs on the chin.
- Stock up stationery and other essentials for kids and they should be taught not to borrow anything from others until the pandemic is behind us.
- Give them a small bottle of sanitizer that is suitable for their skin and educate them to be mindful of using it whenever they touch a surface.
- Get them used to using their elbows, knuckles and the outside of their palms instead of fingers.
- Remind them about distancing themselves from others when standing in queues, in the washroom, in the canteen and the school hall just as much as they do in the classroom.
- Make sure they have meals, water and juices packed and discourage them eating together or sharing food. If sharing is a must, pack those items separately.
- Remind them to occupy only their seat/desk and locker. Leaving things on other people’s desks and collapsing on to the seats used by others after an hour of sports can be a health hazard.
Give some thought to the above and let us know if your kids complain of other poor etiquette practices that could be potentially compromising everyone’s health. It is only together that we can achieve a great community to live in – are you doing your part?
Till I return with ‘Full of Etiquette’ next week, stay safe!
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Praveeni Jayasekera is the Founder and Editor of fullofetiquette.com; she is a regular advocate on the subject. She is an ACMA, CGMA; holds a BSc. Economics and Management; PG in IT and Diploma in Social Sciences. She is employed full time in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer at CL Synergy (Private) Limited; a Sri Lankan freight forwarding company. She is an ardent fan of the written word and has compiled content for numerous websites for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, corporate profiles and blogs. She has experience in training corporate professionals on customer service and business etiquette. She conducts coaching sessions on etiquette for school children every now and then.
