Boundaries
the friendship boundary divides disrespectful or annoying behavior from respectful or fun behavior.
Real friends never argue.
False! Anyone can argue or disagree, it's how we handle arguments that matter.
BONUS 100 points: What is one healthy way to handle an argument?
What is one thing you do that might bother your friends?
Kid's choice
What if YOU have crossed a friendship boundary? What can you do?
Does being someone's friend mean you always have to agree with them?
Being someone's friend does not mean you always have to agree with them. Friends can have different opinions, interests, and ideas and still care about each other. Healthy friends respect each other's differences, listen to one another, and communicate kindly, even when they disagree. You can be a good friend while still having your own thoughts and feelings.
Why do we have friendship boundaries?
To have healthy, fun friendships!
If someone is your friend, you do not need to apologize to them. They understand.
False! If we hurt someone, we should apologize and remember not to do that again.
What can you say to a friend that is pressuring you to do something you're not comfortable with?
You can set a boundary by saying, "I am not comfortable with that, no thanks."
You can walk away.
You can get an adult to help.
What if you notice your friend being disrespectful to or making fun of someone else?
Tell your friend being mean is not okay.
Tell an adult if you're not comfortable stepping in.
Ask yourself if you want to be friends with someone who is mean to other kids?
One boundary I can communicate is…
2. I need space when I am angry and can communicate that I need a break
What happens if you cross a friendship boundary? (do something that hurts a friend or other kid)
You should apologize and try your best not to do it again.
You can have more than on best friend.
True! We can have many friends and best friends. We can also be friendly with other kids without being friends.
It's easier to fix the problem with the person you're having an issue with. You may make your friend mad by talking about them behind their back/to another friend.
How can you tell a friend about something you're excited about without bragging? Give an example.
Hey friend, I wanted to tell you about this cool thing that happened because I think you'd like to hear about it. Is it okay if I tell you about it?
If I have a problem with a friend, I can…
I can talk to them and come up with a resolution.
How do we set a friendship boundary?
example: "I feel uncomfortable when you give me hugs without asking, can you please ask first?"
Friends do everything together.
False! Friends can do many things together but it's also good to have a boundary to do things with other friends and our family.
How do you know if it's time to end a friendship?
The friend is not being a good friend - more often being mean, hurtful than they're being nice to you.
Your friend does not want to be friends anymore.
Imagine one of your friends is really bothering you or hurting your feelings. You don't want to talk about them behind their back or gossip. Who can you talk to?
OR you can talk to a trusted adult - teacher, parent, therapist, guidance counselor.
Your friend wants you to do something you don't feel comfortable doing. They tell you, "If you were really my friend, you would do it." What would you do?
A healthy friend can feel disappointed when you say no, but they should not pressure, threaten, or punish you for having a boundary.
True or false: anyone can set boundaries.
True! friends, other kids, parents, teachers, adults, even pets can set boundaries.
Friends don't mind when we do something that's annoying
False! We can still annoy our friends with our actions.
What can you do to calm yourself down if you're SUPER upset with a friend?
Take deep breaths, take a break.
Talk it out when you're feeling more calm.
What is one boundary that you have or are working on?
examples: keeping hands to self, asking before borrowing things, doing fun jokes and not mean or annoying jokes, having kind friends who make healthy, helpful choices.
Your best friend starts spending time with someone new. You feel left out and worry that your friend won't want to spend time with you anymore.
It is normal to feel left out or worried when your best friend starts spending time with someone new. However, having a new friend doesn't mean your friend cares about you any less. People can have more than one friend! You can tell your friend that you miss spending time together and ask if they would like to play or hang out. You can also use this as an opportunity to get to know other people. Remember, you don't have to control who your friend spends time with to have a strong friendship.