Boundary Boss

“I don’t make threats. I make promises — and consequences.”

Some days, being their nanny feels like managing a tiny, unpredictable universe. My sister and brother-in-law both work full-time, so it’s usually just me and the kids. We’ve built our own rhythm — a kind of unspoken dance between chaos and calm.

They know the rules. They know what Teetee will let slide, and what means business. I don’t yell (until I have to), I don’t bargain, and I don’t bluff. If I say, “Scream about TV and we don’t get TV. Push them again and we’re going home. Wipe your popsicle on the couch and it’s gone,” I follow through. Not because I like being the enforcer — but because they need to know I mean what I say.

It’s not always easy. Some days test every ounce of patience I’ve got. But I see the payoff in little ways — the calm after the tantrum, the apology that comes unprompted, the way they pause before doing the thing they know they shouldn’t. They’re learning that boundaries aren’t walls — they’re safety nets. And if they carry that lesson into life, maybe they’ll never mistake love for chaos.

Boundaries teach kids how to trust you — and themselves.