Legal & Karmic
Stuff related to
using these
free resources.

11 Reasons to Use Boundaries

by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.

Boundaries allow you to express your limits and to communicate the conditions or availability of certain privileges that your students desire.

Boundaries prevent conflict and build win-win power structures. They help you take care of yourself while attempting to accommodate your students’ needs or desires.

Boundaries build a reward-oriented classroom (or school) environment. They emphasize positive consequences –desirable outcomes available with cooperation.

Boundaries create less stress and fewer power struggles than rules and demands (which are typically win-lose and often focus on punishments or negative outcomes for noncompliance).

Boundaries build mutual consideration and respect.

Boundaries do not rely on the child’s fear of the teacher’s emotional reaction (such as anger or disapproval) to help the teacher get what he or she wants.

Boundaries allow positive and negative consequences to occur in a nonpunitive environment (negative consequences simply being the absence of positive consequences). As long as teachers only allow positive consequences to occur when students have done their part, boundaries hold students accountable for their own behavior.

Boundaries with good teacher follow through can minimize students’ acting-out behaviors such as whining, begging, temper tantrums, rebelliousness, refusal to comply, talking back or relying on excuses to get they want.

Boundaries leave the door open for students to change their behavior in order to get their needs met. While rules or threats emphasize the penalties for misbehavior, boundaries focus on the ability to make more constructive choices.

Boundaries do not threaten emotional safety in relationships

Boundary-setting is especially effective in an atmosphere of love, acceptance and respect, although the process can help create these qualities in an otherwise stressful relationship.

Excerpted from The Parent’s Little Book of Lists: Do’s & Don’ts of Effective Parenting, by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D. © 1997, Health Communications, Inc, Deerfield Beach, FL.

Other handouts by Dr. Jane Bluestein

Complete alphabetical listing of all handouts on this site.

Articles and excerpts by Dr. Jane Bluestein

Complete alphabetical listing of all articles on this site.

Complete listing of all articles and handouts in Spanish or French.

Books, Articles, Audio and Video Resources and other Resources by Dr. Jane Bluestein

Humor and Fun: Brighten your day with fun facts, short pieces about kids, pets and work, and hilarious things kids say, do and write. Includes items you can share with kids or use as a springboard for discussions and activities.

Please note that not all pages linked in this section are updated and that you make end up on a page with a broken link. The pages will be redone to look this this page and all the links will be checked and errors corrected. Please be patient during our renovation!