In a time when everyone is accessible every second of the day, boundaries often feel like a relic of a long-gone era, when people left work at 5 p.m. and someone “following” you was considered a bad thing. And while it may go against the popular zeitgeist of limitless access to one another, modeling and teaching children about healthy boundaries is one of our most fundamental jobs as parents.
It’s important to understand what boundaries are. In and of itself, the word sounds somewhat intimidating, but the truth is we’ve been teaching our children about boundaries from the moment they entered the world. Boundaries are limits. They can be physical, social and emotional, or digital and are generally personal. Even if parents establish them on behalf of their children, boundaries are about preserving the health and safety of. “For instance, a household rule around communicating feelings verbally or through writing or drawing instead of hitting, biting, or other physical means checks both boxes. Household rules are generally a set of expectations about how families help each other, treat each other, and contribute to keeping the house running.”
