Lauren's List: What "Not" To Say To Your Child's Teacher

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Kids have been back to school for almost two weeks now and hopefully they're settling in nicely.

Maybe you've had a chance to chat with their teachers, or maybe you're waiting for back-to-school night to get better acquainted.

Either way, today's "Lauren's List" has a few things you should NOT say to a teacher straight teachers themselves.

"You look too young"
Most people graduate college in their early 20s. So yes, teachers aren't "old" by any stretch. But calling out their age could give the impression that you don't think they're experienced enough to teach your child, says Julia K. Porter in RD.com.

"I'm telling the principal"
In some situations, this response is totally warranted and necessary. Just don't make it your go-to anytime little Timmy or Janie gets in trouble with the teacher. Some say this will put teachers on the defensive and make it hard for those children to be treated the same in class.

"Why didn't you tell me?"
Imagine if you got a minute-by-minute rundown of everything your child did and said on any given day in school. Ok, some parents might want that, but I'm fine with a general rundown with a focus on any key issues. But some teachers don't phone home for every rough day or missed assignment. They look for patterns to see if there's a serious problem or just a bad day. If you want to be notified, even for the seemingly small stuff, talk to the teacher nicely and perhaps tell him or her that you're fine with text or email if that makes things easier.

"You don't have kids"
This suggests the teacher doesn't understand because they aren't parents themselves. You don't have to be a parent to work well with children. And making a comment like that could hit on a more personal note like infertility, divorce, or child loss. Hurting a teacher on a personal level won't solve anything for your child.

Other phrases to avoid, according to Porter, "He never does this at home", "I hate this school", or "You don't know what you're doing."

Have you ever said any of these things to a teacher?

Tell me on Facebook or Twitter.

If you have an idea for a future "Lauren's List", send it to lpastrana@cbs.com.