Kindergarten teacher shares the ONE rule she wishes parents would teach kids before starting school

A kindergarten teacher has shared the one rule she wishes all parents would teach their kids before their first day of school.

Educator Emily Perkins, 28, from Kentucky, recently took to TikTok to share the single request that she had for all moms and dads who are preparing to send their toddlers to kindergarten.

She explained that while most parents are focused on teaching their kids the basics like tying their shoes or opening up containers for snack time, there’s something much more important that they should be concentrating on.

She vowed that the most important lesson a kid needs to learn before starting school is hearing the word no.

‘Hey, I’m a teacher, I teach kindergarten and a lot of people ask me what to do to prepare their kid for kindergarten,’ she began in the now-viral video, which has been viewed more than 317,000 times.

‘Tell your kid no. Tell them no as a complete sentence. Do not teach them that telling them no invites them to argue with you, OK? 

‘If I can’t tell your kid no or they won’t respect the no, they’re basically unteachable.

‘I will open their snacks, I will tie their shoes, I will help them blow their noses, I will teach them how to wash their hands, I will put the Capri Sun straw in the hole, whatever you need, we’ll figure it out. 

‘I will do that all day, but if I can’t tell your child no, unteachable.’

 In recent years, something known as ‘gentle parenting’ has become extremely popular, which sees moms and dads respond to kids misbehaving ‘with kindness and patience, rather than resorting to punishment or harsh discipline.’

But Emily slammed it, adding, ‘The term gentle parenting gets thrown around like an award. 

‘Congratulations, you’re a pushover. I can probably do a whole rant on gentle parenting… just don’t do it. 

‘You can validate your child’s feelings without being a pushover.’

She recalled one parent telling her they ‘don’t tell their child no because it “triggers them.”‘

‘As a teacher, I believe in the “why,” I believe in figuring out why things work, I believe in figuring out why their behaviors happened in the first place,’ she concluded. 

‘But if [teachers] can’t tell them no, it’s really hard to help them learn.’

While chatting with the Today show about it, Emily explained that a huge part of her profession is saying ‘no.’

She explained that it’s mostly important for safety, as it’s her job to ensure your kids don’t get hurt. 

‘Think of logistics – if we’re lining up for a fire drill, it’s, “No, you may not stay inside if the building is on fire,” or, “No, you may not climb on the table because it’s not safe,”‘ she explained.

‘I love to explain why, but if I can’t right then, kids still have to hear and accept “no.”‘