My mother is a retired Special School District teacher and her students loved her. One of the reasons is because she set boundaries. To make her happy, all her students had to do was follow the rules and do what they’re supposed to do. The boundaries of the sandbox were clear and when students stepped outside of the box, she would put them back in the box and it wasn’t always pleasant.
One of my mother’s students, Nathan was one of her favorites. Like everyone, he knew the rules for being in her classroom, but there were times when he stepped overstepped the boundaries of the sandbox. Each time this happened, she dragged him back to the sand.
One such occasion when Nathan had trouble controlling himself, my mother walked up to him and asked what was going on. He struggled to find his words and my mother explained that he knew he wasn’t allowed to act that way in her classroom.
Still, Nathan had a hard time calming down, so she put him in the Yellow Chair of Obscurity and told him to, “Sit and think about your life.” A tall order for any ten year old.
After his time was up, my mother asked him if he was ready to join the class and Nathan was more than enthusiastic to be welcomed back to the group.
What boundaries have you set for your children? What do you do when they go beyond their boundaries?