Setting Home Rules and Healthy Boundaries

Struggling with setting rules and boundaries? Here are a few tips:

⭐️A boundary that has value behind it will be easier to set. For example: "At our house, we eat only in the kitchen." If there's a value behind that rule (we want to keep our living room clean), then it will be easier for us to keep that rule. It's not "just because."

⭐️Positive language works better. "We only eat in the kitchen" sounds better than "we don't eat in the living room," and the kids are more likely to follow it.

⭐️Try not to have too many rules. Think about the most important values that you want to encourage in your house and set the rules based on them. Too many rules will make the children feel that they don't have control, and they will try to gain that control through power struggles.

⭐️Make the rules clear and known to all the members of the family.

⭐️Before setting a new rule, discuss it, and inform the kids what is expected of them.

⭐️When discussing a new rule, explain the logical consequences for not following that rule.

⭐️Don't be afraid of setting rules and boundaries. Your children need them to feel protected, guided, and that someone is showing them the way.

⭐️Having said that, keep some freedom within these boundaries. Let the children choose, wherever possible, within the rules you have set.

⭐️⭐️Remember – we set the rules and boundaries being firm but kind.