The idea that there should be boundaries between you and your child might seem exaggerated or even scary, especially when your kid is still little. However, this is just a temporary phase. Children grow up quickly and they need to learn more about their own boundaries and those of people around them. Read on and learn more about parent-child boundaries and how an item like the teepee tent for children can help you set and respect them.
- Teaching your kid to respect boundaries
Limits or boundaries are not only for adults, although many of us might think so. Even kids need to have their own boundaries in order to develop as independent and confident individuals. Moreover, they also need to have a clear idea of where their boundaries are in relationship to others and the first person who can teach them how to do this is you, their parent.
Teaching your kid how to respect boundaries might be difficult, especially if you find it hard to tell your son or daughter ‘no’ every now and then, but it is an important step in their development.
The first thing you have to start with is teaching your child what boundaries are and why they are important. Help them understand that boundaries are limits that help people feel safe and that crossing them would hurt others. Whether we’re talking about physical boundaries that both you and your kid will automatically feel the need to apply once they grow up, or verbal ones, they’re meant to harbor respect and privacy.
Kids find it hard to get used to boundaries at first because when they are little, they neither impose nor require such things. However, as they grow up, they will be the ones who start sending signs that they need their own space and privacy, for example, by choosing to dress alone or asking for a room of their own in case they don’t have one yet.
But before you get to this level, kids, especially little ones, will express their boundaries in different other ways. For example, in relation to their toys – their most priced possessions. Children might find it hard to share their favorite toys with other kids, siblings or even with you during playtime. This is something to work on later, before they go to kindergarten or school where sharing and being able to cooperate are essential abilities. However, in the beginning, you can use circumstances such as these in order to help your kid understand more about boundaries. Remind them of how they felt when someone tried to take their favorite toy without their permission and let them know that this means crossing a limit or boundary. Whenever they do something like this to someone else, they’re making that person feel bad.
Kids learn things easier if you give them practical examples rather than abstract concepts. If you see your kid has a hard time understanding why they did something wrong by crossing a boundary or breaking a rule, compare the way they’ve made others feel with how they felt when they were in a similar situation.
Once your child starts understanding what boundaries are, it’s time to help them figure out how and where to set their own limits. For this, you need patience in order to discover what your kid likes and what they dislike. Try to guide your kid through the journey of defining their boundaries and explain to them which limits are understandable and which aren’t.
Be aware of the fact that boundaries shouldn’t be confused with preferences. For example, if your child doesn’t like drinking water and they prefer soda instead, you’re not breaking any boundary by insisting that they drink water, which is essential for their health and growth.
- How can a teepee tent for kids help you?
You might be wondering what a teepee tent has to do with setting boundaries for your kid and how it can prove beneficial in this process. Let’s first clarify what this item is and why we’re promoting it as an aid in this situation.
Teepee tents for kids are miniature versions of the traditional Indian teepee tent. These items can easily be assembled both indoors and outdoors and they are destined for children’s rest and recreation. We are able to tell you all these and more because here, at Ary’s Land, teepee tents are our specialty. We have our unique and sturdy tepee that can be used by children of all ages starting from toddlers.
Now, let’s go further and help you understand why we consider these tents the ideal means of establishing boundaries for kids. A teepee is, in itself, a boundary between the world outside and the magical space your kid creates while playing inside. It is a shelter where kids feel at ease to fantasize, share secrets with friends and siblings, act out different roles, play with their favorite toys, read, or sleep.
These items aim to ensure children privacy while enjoying the best part of the day – playtime. With a teepee tent, you grant your child their first right to privacy as they will feel that once they are inside the teepee, they’re entering their own private zone. At the same time, a teepee tent can also help you gain more independence and privacy in relation to your kid, all these without compromising your relationship, let alone fail to supervise them. This is possible because most teepee tents, our included, feature transparent windows that allow you to glance inside and see what kids are doing, without interrupting their fun or rest.
This is a perfect way to establish a boundary between your own need to have some time for yourself or your house chores and your kid’s need to play and have a place of their own. Another advantage of teepee tents is that most of them are portable and very easy to install. Therefore, if you go visiting friends or if someone comes over and you want to keep a close eye on the little ones, you can simply mount the teepee in the same room you’re staying and monitor them while also socializing with other adults.
Setting boundaries when it comes to your kid is by no means easy. First of all, there is the emotional process you have to go through in order to accept that your kid is growing, and they will become independent individuals that need privacy.
Secondly, now that they are still little, it might be hard for them to understand what limits are and why they should be respected. However, by arming yourself with patience, determination, and a good-looking teepee tent your kid will fall in love with, you’ll certainly succeed.