Kid Boundaries!! Really???

      We have been talking about boundaries for quite a few weeks now and hopefully you have been enlightened a bit or at least your own resolve with boundaries has been strengthened. But big question here is "Should kids have boundaries?"  I mean, kids are just sweet little kiddos learning and growing and shouldn't they be allowed to just do whatever their little hearts desire? Well, aren't we all just over-sized kids in many ways? And don't we have boundaries? So what about kid boundaries?

     Common sense, IF there is any in the world anymore, teaches us that kids SHOULD have boundaries. I mean would you let your kid go play in a busy street just because he wants to? Maybe he really likes cars and wants to get a closer look at them! Sometimes those closer looks can be deadly. So you have to have boundaries to keep your kids safe. And, many times, just like we adults are more willing to keep within proper boundaries when we understand the "why" behind them, kids, too, can and will learn this, especially where safety is concerned.

     What about health though? Should kids be allowed to eat whatever they want and whenever they want and then sit all day in front of the tv,  computer, tablet or  phone? After all they are home, you can keep an eye on them and they stay out of your hair because they are occupied. BUT is that the best thing for them? Should there not be boundaries on time allowed on technology as well as what they use it for? And considering their health, they DO need physical activity! Our bodies are made to move and be active!!! They do need outside time to get fresh air and sunlight and build their coordination doing physical things! And that doesn't mean exercising their fingers on the tablet out in the yard!!! They DO need to wear off the calories they take in in order to stay healthy. IT IS a proven fact that overweight people, kids included, develop many health issues they otherwise would not have to deal with. And sadly, it is getting worse and worse for our young people without appropriate health boundaries.

     What about learning responsibility so WHEN they are adults they contribute to society and its goodness instead of destroying it and depending on others to take care of them? This, too, is happening too much in society today! Our children need to be taught to work, to help others, to expand their minds, to become their best at the good things they are interested in! Giving children chores and expecting them to fulfill them IS a very necessary boundary for their happiness as children as well as future responsible adults and for our society to be better!! Just make sure that those chores are within appropriate age boundaries. You can't expect the 2 year old to cook dinner nor the 5 year old  to drive the car to the car wash and clean it. So use your own common sense, start small and build as your kids grow and show themselves capable of more advanced chores!

     I am sure I could go on and on, BUT I think you get the idea! Kids need boundaries to help guide their lives to become the best person they can be, just like we do!! And living within appropriate boundaries really does give you more freedom and peace and happiness than any breaking of boundaries can ever do!!