Boundaries in parenting are all about transferring ownership where your kids grow and learn how to function as an independent person.
Talking Points:
- Parents help kids to develop internal mechanisms, called boundaries, that teach kids to take ownership of their lives. Proverbs 22:6
- Parenting is about transferring ownership to your kids teaching them about safety, respect and setting goals and sticking to them.
- Discipline reinforces the boundaries you’re trying to teach. Discipline should be costly, age appropriate and proportionate to the offense. Hebrews 12:11
Discussion Questions:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Describe your parenting style. How have you viewed your job as a parent up to now?
- Read Proverbs 22:6. What are your ultimate goals for your kids? What are you currently doing to encourage or to train your kids in those things?
- Why is it important for your kids to take more ownership of their lives as they grow? What happens when kids don’t learn this?
- How have you trained your kids on issues of safety? What are some areas you need to start emphasizing more with your kids?
- How do you teach your kids to respect others?
- Share some goals you’ve set for yourself and have worked hard to accomplish? How can you use that example to teach your kids about setting goals for themselves? How does an instant gratification attitude derail this process?
- Read Hebrews 12:11. Evaluate your current disciplinary strategies. How do you need to adjust or improve to make sure your discipline is teaching the right things?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
Adapted from Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
