As said in the previous post, personal boundaries are the limits that you set when it comes to what you expect from a person and how they behave towards you. They indicate what you find acceptable and unacceptable in someone else’s behaviour, particularly with someone you are close to, such as family, friends, or a partner.

These are 5 ways you can establish boundaries with your children at home:

1. CHOOSE THE BOUNDARY: When setting a boundary, it must be something that can be explained and important. It would be so much easier for someone to do something when they know WHY they need to do it. You can choose boundaries like:

a. Supervising: When a sibling gets in a fight with the other often, keep an eye on them consistently so they can handle being alone together. This helps them get used to each other and be responsible.

b. Limiting Screen Time: Setting a limit for your child to use a certain amount of screen time and doing so consistently, even when they try to push the limit, helps them explore the world around them and build meaningful connections with other people. Benefits of less screen time for kids include; helping their focus and brain function, better vision and lowering the risk of anxiety and depression.

c. Setting a Bedtime: You should always stick to getting them to bed around the same time every day.

2. COMMUNICATE THE BOUNDARY: If you are introducing a new boundary, you must talk to your child about it and help them understand the concept of the boundary. Explaining the purpose of the boundary, using positive words, get your child to accept it and do the right thing.

3. MAKE THE NECESSARY PHYSICAL CHANGE: Remove and re-arrange any household item that needs to be moved so that your child can no longer have access to what you do not want them to have access to. Keeping items out of reach keeps your toddlers safe by not giving them access to things that could hurt them. This also helps you take care of the things that you do not want them to break.

4. BE CONSISTENT AND ASSERTIVE: The importance of being assertive when setting your boundaries, whether with yourself or with other people, cannot be over-emphasized. This does not mean being cruel or insensitive. Being assertive simply means stating what you want or need clearly without beating around the bush. Likewise, consistency is key because it helpsvyour child to see exactly where the boundary is. It gives them predictability and assurance that that is the boundary.

5. REALIZING WHEN TO CHANGE BOUNDARIES: Changing the boundary does not mean you are inconsistent. If the boundary is no longer needed, feel free to change it. You might change the boundary and quickly realize it was too soon, so you have to go back to it. Limits should change over time as your child's language abilities and cognitive understanding grow.

Again, this is not inconsistency, but inconsistency would mean changing how you respond to the boundaries being tested and having varying standards.

In conclusion, you do not have to do too much, just select the ones you think will work best for you and your child in this season and be consistent with it.