Boundaries

I recently read Boundaries and Boundaries with Kids by Drs Henry Cloud and John Townsend. I must admit, I was sceptical at first, when Laetitia recommended them to me. More pop psychology I can do without, thank you!

But I was pleasantly surprised. Indeed, I learnt just how good my parents were at teaching me good boundaries. Thank you, Doris and Munro! The authors are Christians, and their advice is soundly based on biblical principles. They deal with the sticky questions of how forgiveness, boundaries and consequences fit together (“I forgive you, but that doesn't mean I will allow you to continue to hurt me”). They give suggestions for responding to others who don't respect your boundaries. And they write in clear and accessible language without fancy psychological terms.

The Kids book I found especially helpful for my role as a teacher. Although the focus is not specifically on the age group I spend most of my time with (perhaps I should read their Teens book), their advice was still very useful and directly applicable to my interactions with students in and outside the classroom. Much food for thought!

Recommendation: A must-read. Should be compulsory for beginning teachers.