As an online tutor, it can be difficult when a student is habitually late for their session. Here are some phrases that you can use to politely and respectfully address the situation with the student:

  1. "I understand that things can come up unexpectedly, but it's important to respect the scheduled start time for our sessions. Let's make a plan to ensure that we start on time in the future."
  2. "I appreciate your interest in our sessions, but it's important to be respectful of our scheduled start time. Let's work together to find a solution that works for both of us."
  3. "I want to make sure that we can cover all of the material that we need to during our session, so it's important to start on time. Let's plan to start our next session promptly at the scheduled time."
  4. "I value your time and mine, so it's important that we start our sessions on time. Let's work together to find a solution that works for both of us."
  5. "It's important to respect the time that we've scheduled for our session, so let's plan to start on time in the future. I appreciate your understanding."

Remember to always remain calm, professional, and respectful when communicating with students. Acknowledge their time constraints and work with them to find a solution that works for both of you.