Learn how to teach children about personal space and boundaries, including strategies for handling situations when other children invade their space. The speaker emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, using non-verbal cues, and intervening promptly. They also discuss the importance of respecting children's personal space and boundaries, and offer guidance on navigating challenging situations. Discover how to foster a healthy parent-child relationship through setting boundaries and teaching respect for personal space.
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Quick takeaways
Adults should help children assert their personal boundaries by calmly intervening and teaching the importance of respecting personal space without blame or shame.
To prevent and handle space invasion or hitting, adults should observe children's behaviors, intervene politely but confidently, and teach lessons on asserting boundaries while protecting their self-confidence.
Deep dives
Teaching Positive Lessons in Personal Space
When children need personal space and feel uncomfortable with another child invading that space, adults should help them learn to assert their boundaries. By being calm and confident in our modeling, we can teach both children the importance of respecting personal space without casting blame or shaming. Instead of overreacting to the situation, adults should wait for the appropriate moment to calmly intervene. Encouraging the child to use verbal communication to express their need for space can be helpful, although it may not always be effective in the moment. The goal is to teach the lesson while maintaining the child's self-confidence.
Observing and Blocking Space Invasion
To prevent space invasion or hitting, adults should practice observing the behaviors and energy levels of all children involved. Being calm and ready, adults can intervene by gently blocking the invasion and asking the child if they want to say hi while demonstrating a stop hand signal. The outcome may vary, with the children either engaging or going their separate ways. If space invasion or hitting has already occurred, adults can block any further actions, acknowledge the child's discomfort, and offer gentle lessons on asserting boundaries. The focus should be on helping and protecting the children while allowing them to handle the situation and learn from it.
Applying Boundaries with Adults
The same approach should be taken when an adult invades a child's personal space. Adults can politely but confidently intervene, asking if the child wants a hug and respecting their response. By doing so, we teach adults to respect the child's point of view and personal boundaries. If an adult's action has already taken place, adults can make eye contact with their child, acknowledge their discomfort, and reflect on the situation later. Similarly, if a child invades an adult's personal space, adults should gently and respectfully redirect their behavior by blocking and offering alternative ways to say hello. The key is to model and teach boundaries in a relaxed and accepting manner, which fosters self-confidence and social learning.
Toddlers and preschoolers are driven to learn everything about their world, and they are particularly intrigued by the people in it: peers, family members, kids, grown-ups, and most of all their parents. A key aspect of their socialization is learning about personal boundaries, understanding how to assert theirs and respect those of others. They need our help with that. In her response to a parent's question about her 2.5 year old hitting children who invade his space, Janet explains how we teach these invaluable lessons and why they matter.