| Author | |
lovebeingamom
Forum Pro
Joined: June 05 2009
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 191
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 7:57am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Do any of you have any suggestions or advice on how to explain personal space/boundaries to a 4 yo?
My 4 yo is a very loving little girl and loves to give hugs and show affection all the time (which is a great thing) even to children she just met.
How do I go about explaining/teaching her about her personal space/boundary, as well as respecting others personal space/boundaries?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Erin
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5814
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 5:26pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well with some of my children I have to simply tell them over and over again about giving people their space. Most of my children get it instinctively.
The best example I heard was explaining it as a hula hoop. My friend was telling me her child said to someone 'you're in my hula hoop space, get out" 
__________________
Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 5:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
we usually are training kids to stay out of the baby's face. so I think they get the idea there. I did have to train one child to move slower with the baby.. and I had to do it by literally grabbing his shoulders and helping him move at a slower speed.. of course he got great reinforcment because he was trying to play with the baby doing peek a boo.. and hte baby couldn't track him.. and when I showed him how to move slowly baby could track him and laugh and react so it was great reinforment.
the hula hoop is a good idea.. what about pinning balloons to the shirts of your daughter and someone else.. so that she can see how she's got her personal space and someone else does too and how when they bump you don't want to press so close to pop the other person's balloons.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KC in TX
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 5:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Erin wrote:
The best example I heard was explaining it as a hula hoop. My friend was telling me her child said to someone 'you're in my hula hoop space, get out" |
|
|
That's awesome! What a great visual way to explain it.
__________________
KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Michaela
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2052
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 6:13pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hoola hoop is a good one.
My kids will say 'you're in my bubble'
My son's swim instructor would tell the child that they are in their neighbor's bubble. Even the little ones seemed to automatically get that.
Using that phrase, I explained to my kiddoes that each person has their own bubble around them that once crossed they react automatically. lol (backing up when your in their bubble)
__________________
Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 8:26pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We use "bubble," too. We did have to explain that different people have different sized bubbles...mine is huge, for example. It seemed to make sense, even at a relatively young age.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Erin
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5814
|
| Posted: April 14 2011 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Like the bubble analogy too 
Forgot to mention, but Nancy does about bubble sizes, to teach children that everyone has different size hula-hoops.
I was having an interesting discussion with my dh and teen son recently about men needing different size personal spaces to men. I find it fascinating to watch a group of men and see how far apart they stand from one another compared to a group of women, we're all far more comfortable closer together. I have heard that people in the city stand closer to one another than the country, all those bustling crowds.
__________________
Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
kristinannie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2011
Location: West Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1363
|
| Posted: April 15 2011 at 9:04am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was just dealing with this last night. My DS5 is always hanging on me and getting way to close to his brother and sister. He is very loving, but just goes a little overboard. At dinner last night, I sat next to him and acted like him (being all in his face and touching him with my feet, etc). He really got the message and thought it was annoying. I am going to try the bubble thing! DS has no idea what a hula hoop is. I will have to buy one and try that though!
__________________
John Paul 8.5
Meredith Rose 7
Dominic Michael 4.5
Katherine Elizabeth 8 months
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Angie Mc
Board Moderator
Joined: Jan 31 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 11400
|
| Posted: April 15 2011 at 1:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
OK, no time to read all the replies - which I will ASAP - but needed to let you know that I reading the subject line. I know your pain! So before I forget to share - literally - yesterday I used blue painter's tape to mark MY SPACE around my computer...for my 12yo! Not my 15yo or my 5yo who already respect my space when I'm at the computer...my 12yo - ACK! Amazingly...it is working, at least for today  .
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
kristacecilia
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 05 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 677
|
| Posted: April 15 2011 at 1:15pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Angie Mc wrote:
| OK, no time to read all the replies - which I will ASAP - but needed to let you know that I reading the subject line. I know your pain! So before I forget to share - literally - yesterday I used blue painter's tape to mark MY SPACE around my computer...for my 12yo! |
|
|
Love it!
I, too, can relate to this. I have one very affectionate, touchy-feely, needs to be pressed up against you constantly seven year old. We work on personal space a lot, too.
My bubble is bigger since I have had kids.
__________________
God bless,
Krista
Wife to a great guy, mom to two boys ('04, '06) and three girls ('08, '10, '12!)
I blog at http://kristacecilia.wordpress.com/
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: April 15 2011 at 1:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a big bubble! I'm always saying that to my kids. I say it in fun, but they know what I mean. I have 2 kids that have had to really make an effort to remember the bubble thing. My ds, now 7, seems to want to touch everyone and everything. I notice he'll touch another kid's shoulder when he's talking to them. My dd has always been that way too. I'm always reminding them to remember that everyone has personal space. These two probably don't mind so much if someone gets in their bubble, but it's about being considerate of others. At least that's the approach I take.
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: How to teach a child about personal space
