Boundaries

Boundaries. What are those and how as mothers do we use them? Do you have boundaries or do you always say yes to other people. Essentially having boundaries is knowing when to say yes and no to things. Personally, boundaries have been hard for me. I struggle because I'm a people pleaser, but now that I am a mommy, I have to do what is best for my child and sometimes (more often than not) I have to say no.

Recently, we had a wonderful speaker, Ginny, come to our Mom2Mom group to speak to us on just this subject. I highly recommend the "Boundaries" books and workbooks. While I haven't used them yet, I certainly will be after our wonderful presentation. Soon, we will have the video of the speaker. Thank you for being patient with me as we get this going. I know that I'm very late, but I had to set boundaries for myself and this is something that had to be set aside for a little bit of time.

If you have trouble with the word "No", then you are actually putting your children at risk. It is important to have boundaries for your children. It teaches responsibility and it keeps them safe. If we are too lenient and willing to let our children walk all over us, they are no learning how to become citizens of the world, they are learning that they are the most important. If we are doormats to everyone, then we are accepting everyone's responsibilities and our own are put on the back burner.

We have two kinds of responsibilities, the knapsack and a boulder. Those in our knapsack are the ones that we have to do daily - brush our teeth and hair, eat, get dressed, paying bills, etc.
The boulder is something that we can't do alone - someone has lost their job, etc. These are things that you need other people to help you with because it's too big to fix or do alone. We have to set boundaries so that we don't accept other people's boulders and try to move them alone.

Learning the word "no" can actually be one of the most important words that we teach our children.

In the first video, we are given an example of how boundaries are needed when we are raising children. If we don not have boundaries, then we are actually putting your children at risk.








Some important verses when having boundaries with kids include the following. There are many more, these are just a few.

Boundaries with kids verses:

Proverbs 22:6
Ephesians 6:4
Deuteronomy 6:5-8
Proverbs 12:1
Proverbs 13:24
Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs 19:18
Proverbs 22:15
Proverbs 23:13
Hebrews 12:11





Another wonderful piece was shared with us by Amber. It is a prayer that I hope you read. It is very convicting, but also very needed in a mother's life. May it touch your heart and help you to be a better parent. Trust in the Lord in all things.

Heavenly Father,

make me a better parent.

Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say,

and to answer all their questions kindly.

Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them.

Make me as courteous to them as I would have them to me.

Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes,

or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me.

May I never punish them for my own satisfaction or to show my power.

Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal.

And guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say

and do that honesty is the best policy.

Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me.

And when I am out of sorts, help me, OLord, to hold my tongue.

May I ever be mindful that my children are children

and I should not expectof them the judgment of adults.

Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions.

Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests

and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do them harm.

Make me fair and just and kind.And fit me, O Lord,

to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.

Amen.