Nursery World - How far can I go?

The key to setting effective rules and limitations for young children is knowing what you can expect them to be able to follow most of the time, writes Jennie Lindon Whether or not to set limits for children's behaviour has been a key issue in advice books for years. In some decades, parents and other carers have been warned off setting clear boundaries, supposedly because they would endanger children's free expression. At other periods, equally strongly worded advice has directed adults to use firm verbal or even physical methods to enforce swift obedience to the rules.

Whether or not to set limits for children's behaviour has been a key issue in advice books for years. In some decades, parents and other carers have been warned off setting clear boundaries, supposedly because they would endanger children's free expression. At other periods, equally strongly worded advice has directed adults to use firm verbal or even physical methods to enforce swift obedience to the rules.

Both of these extremes are best avoided. The psychologically healthy balance for young children is somewhere between 'let them do whatever they want!' and 'they can't be allowed to get away with anything!'

Being realistic

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