Monsters are a hot topic in our home. (Toddler understanding Halloween for the first time this year.)
💥 HELPFUL HINT💥: Teach them young. For my two year old, most monsters are just cartoons, those monsters are funny. We say: "Cartoon Monsters are funny!"
For my older kiddos, who grasp what I'm saying.. Cartoon monsters are funny. They don't really live under the bed, only in the TV. REAL monsters are people that are friendly to you, who will hurt you. Those are the monsters you have to watch out for, for real. Stranger danger is a hot conversation in this house, and we discuss it often.
For me, this is why it is EXTREMELY important that they understand I am not their friend. I am their mom. They will have friends and those friends will have their roll in their lives. Sometimes that roll (life lesson) will be betrayal. To explain this, I often tell them: "I'm not your best friend. I'm your mom. My roll is way more important than being your friend; I will ALWAYS be here for you." because I am part of their safety net when friends betray them. Unfortunately, even people you think are friends can turn out to be monsters. That's just the truth. I'm ok with them understanding that they don't need to be open and personal with everyone they come across, just because those people are nice or kind.
This is a boundary I was never taught, that I stand FIRM in teaching my kids. I will NEVER be their best friend. I don't want that roll. However, I will ALWAYS be their mommy and that's the most important roll I've ever been given. I will do everything in my power to take that roll seriously.
Boundaries are a highly underestimated topic. Research the best ways for encouraging, and implementing boundaries. Teach your kids that NOT sharing things that belong to them is perfectly ok. Not hugging new family is OK. Ignoring strangers who say hi because they are uncomfortable is OK. Respect their emotions and the things that make them uneasy. Tell them it's ok to feel what they feel, but you're here for them when they are ready! ♥️
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