How to Set Boundaries With Neighborhood Children

Living in a neighborhood setting is a perfect way to help your child socialize and make friends. It is important to allow your child to play with other kids and learn how to interact with others, but it is also important to set boundaries with your children's friends. Neighborhood children may feel comfortable just walking into your yard, so in order to keep everyone safe, boundaries must be set.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Phone numbers

1. Meet the parents of neighborhood kids before allowing them into your yard. The last thing you want is for an angry mother to pull up and yell at you for allowing her child on your trampoline.

2. Ask parents if their children are allowed to be in your yard or not. Some parents insist on supervising their children, but others welcome the idea of someone else watching their kids.

3. Get phone numbers for any child playing in your yard. Injuries happen, and so does bad behavior, so you need to be able to contact someone when problems arise.

4. Define the rules of your home, including language, behavior and times when visitors are welcome. Children must understand that they cannot walk into your yard anytime they want.

5. Explain the consequences of breaking the rules. Let children know they are welcome as long as they adhere to your rules, but once they are broken, they are no longer welcome.

6. Be friendly but firm when enforcing the rules. Children will test you, so make sure you show them who is in charge by giving them a warning, then sending them home if they break the rules again.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that some children have never had boundaries set for them, so if they break the rules, be firm but patient. Send children home if they misbehave, but let them know they are welcome to come back tomorrow.
• Never physically force a child out of your yard if they refuse to leave. Call the child's parents, or in extreme cases, call the proper authorities.

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