The Children's Playground

How to Impress Adults & Become a Real Student & Have Fun

(Best If You're in Grades 4 Up)

You are probably wondering how impressing adults and becoming a real student fits into our playground, aren't you? It fits because if you know how to enjoy being with everyone, you'll always have special days. You won't go around saying, "I'm bored."

You already know how to impress adults, I'm sure. You probably do it every day. Sometimes you only do it for people you want to impress. For example, I often ask students if they are nicer to me than to their parents, and the answer is almost always, "YES!" They are, they will admit, more polite to me than they are to their parents. And you may be, too. Keep that in mind. Think about why.

Sometimes when you get into about Grade 4 and higher, you might think that you don't want to bother with adults. You'd rather impress your friends. However, making a good impression on the people old and young is important. Making a poor impression by acting like you don't want to be with others can cause problems for you.

The best ways to make a good impression on everyone is:

1. Use your best manners and common sense.
2. Listen to others and look at them when they talk with you or say "hello" to you.
3. Take an interest in what others are doing.
4. Take an interest in your own work.
5. Show how much you enjoy having fun with others and how much you appreciate others.
6. Smile lots and show your enthusiasm for what you and what others like. Don't worry about being or acting "cool." That can only cause you problems.

It's really easy to impress people, for all you have to do is appreciate others and yourself, too.

Becoming a real student is easy, too. You can use almost the same rules:

1. Use your best manners and common sense in school.
2. Listen carefully to your teacher. Look at your teacher when your teacher talks to you or the class.
3. Take an interest in what your teacher is teaching.
4. Take an interest in your school work. Make it look nice, put your enthusiasm into it, and check it to make sure it is correct. AND, remember to hand it in on time. That means "do your homework."
5. Show how much you appreciate your teacher and the others in your class by your enthusiasm for what you AND your classmates are doing.
6. Smile and have fun in school-and don't worry about being or acting "cool." That can only cause you problems. (Didn't I tell you that before?!)

So-if you want to have fun everywhere, probably the most important things to remember are to use your manners and common sense. They will give you the rest of the answers and make your life easier, too.