Personal Boundaries and Social Cues Worksheet

Understanding Personal Boundaries

1. What is a personal boundary?
   
   Write your own definition of a personal boundary. Think about why it is important for you and others.
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Examples of Personal Boundaries
   
   List three examples of personal boundaries you can set with others. For each example, explain why it is important.
   

   • Example 1:
     
     
     
   • Example 2:
     
     
     
   • Example 3:
     
     
     

Recognizing Social Cues

3. Identifying Emotions
   
   Look at the following descriptions and write down what emotion you think the person is feeling:

   • A person is smiling and laughing.
     
     
     
   • A person has crossed arms and is looking away.
     
     
     
   • A person is frowning and has tears in their eyes.
     
     
     

4. Social Situations
   
   Read the scenario and write what you would do:

   • You notice someone stepping back when you move closer. What should you do?
     
     
     
     
     
     

Practicing Impulse Control

5. Impulse Control Strategies
   
   List two strategies you can use to practice impulse control in social situations. Explain how each strategy helps you think before you act.
   

   • Strategy 1:
     
     
     
   • Strategy 2:
     
     
     

6. Role-Play Reflection
   
   Think about a role-play scenario you practiced. What did you learn about respecting boundaries and recognizing social cues? How can you apply this in real life?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Remember, understanding personal boundaries and social cues helps us build respectful and safe relationships with others. Practice these skills daily!

Understanding Personal Boundaries and Social Cues

What Are Personal Boundaries?

Personal boundaries are the limits we set with other people to feel safe and comfortable. Imagine a bubble around you that represents your personal space. This bubble helps you decide who can come close and how close they can get. Everyone's bubble is different, and it's important to respect each other's bubbles.

Why Are Personal Boundaries Important?

• They help us feel safe and respected.
• They protect our personal space and privacy.
• They help us communicate our needs and feelings to others.

Recognizing Social Cues

Social cues are signals we give with our body language and facial expressions. They help us understand how someone is feeling without using words. Recognizing these cues can help you know when someone is happy, sad, or uncomfortable.

Examples of Social Cues:

• Smiling and Laughing: This usually means someone is happy or enjoying themselves.
• Crossed Arms and Looking Away: This might mean someone is feeling uncomfortable or upset.
• Frowning and Tears: This often shows that someone is sad or hurt.

Practicing Impulse Control

Impulse control means thinking before you act. It helps you make better decisions and avoid doing things you might regret later. Practicing impulse control can be challenging, but it's an important skill to develop.

Ways to Practice Impulse Control:

• Pause and Think: Before you act, take a moment to think about what you are about to do and how it might affect others.
• Play Games: Some games require you to wait your turn or think carefully before making a move. These can be fun ways to practice impulse control.

Applying These Skills in Daily Life

Understanding personal boundaries, recognizing social cues, and practicing impulse control can help you build better relationships with others. Here are some tips to apply these skills:

• Ask for Permission: Before touching someone or entering their personal space, always ask if it's okay.
• Observe and Listen: Pay attention to how people are acting and what they are saying. This can give you clues about how they feel.
• Respect Others' Space: If someone looks uncomfortable, give them space and ask if they are okay.

Remember, these skills take practice, but they are important for creating respectful and safe interactions with others. Keep practicing, and don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it!

Discussion on Personal Boundaries and Social Cues

Guidelines for Discussion

• Respectful Environment: Ensure that the discussion remains respectful and supportive. Encourage the student to share their thoughts openly.
• Active Listening: Listen carefully to the student's responses and provide feedback or clarification as needed.
• Encourage Questions: Invite the student to ask questions if they are unsure about any concepts.

Discussion Prompts

Understanding Personal Boundaries

1. What do you think personal boundaries are?
   
   Encourage the student to describe personal boundaries in their own words. Discuss why they are important in social interactions.
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Can you think of a time when someone respected your personal boundaries? How did that make you feel?
   
   Discuss the positive feelings associated with having one's boundaries respected.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Recognizing Social Cues

3. What are some signs that someone might be uncomfortable?
   
   Review the visual cues discussed in the lesson, such as crossed arms or stepping back.
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. How can you tell if someone is happy or enjoying themselves?
   
   Discuss positive social cues like smiling and laughing.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Practicing Impulse Control

5. Why is it important to think before you act?
   
   Discuss the benefits of impulse control in maintaining respectful interactions.
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. Can you share a strategy you use to help control your impulses?
   
   Encourage the student to think of strategies that help them pause and reflect before acting.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Applying Skills in Daily Life

7. How can you use what you've learned about personal boundaries and social cues in your daily life?
   
   Discuss practical ways to apply these skills in various social situations.
   
   
   
   
   
   

8. What would you do if you notice someone looks uncomfortable around you?
   
   Reinforce the importance of giving space and asking if the person is okay.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Follow-Up Points

• Reinforce Learning: Summarize the key points discussed and highlight the importance of practicing these skills regularly.
• Encourage Reflection: Ask the student to reflect on what they have learned and how they can continue to improve their understanding of personal boundaries and social cues.
• Provide Support: Offer additional resources or support if the student expresses a need for further guidance.

Role-Play Scenarios for Personal Boundaries

Objective

To practice recognizing and respecting personal boundaries and social cues through guided role-play scenarios.

Materials Needed

• Printed role-play scenario cards
• Visual cues cards
• Space for role-playing

Instructions

1. Introduction to Role-Play

   • Explain to the student that role-playing is a way to practice real-life situations in a safe environment.
   • Emphasize the importance of respecting personal boundaries and recognizing social cues during the activity.

2. Scenario 1: Respecting Personal Space

   • Scenario: You are meeting a new friend. Practice introducing yourself while maintaining a comfortable distance.
   • Guidance: Encourage the student to stand at least an arm's length away and to ask permission before moving closer.
   • Discussion: Ask the student how it felt to maintain personal space and why it is important.

3. Scenario 2: Recognizing Discomfort

   • Scenario: You notice someone crossing their arms and stepping back while you are talking to them.
   • Guidance: Help the student identify these cues and discuss how to respond appropriately, such as by giving space or asking if the person is okay.
   • Discussion: Discuss how recognizing discomfort can help maintain respectful interactions.

4. Scenario 3: Asking for Permission

   • Scenario: You want to ask someone for their phone number.
   • Guidance: Role-play asking for permission in a respectful way and accepting "no" as an answer.
   • Discussion: Talk about why it's important to respect others' decisions and how to handle rejection gracefully.

5. Scenario 4: Practicing Impulse Control

   • Scenario: You feel the urge to interrupt someone who is speaking.
   • Guidance: Practice waiting for the person to finish speaking before responding.
   • Discussion: Discuss strategies for controlling impulses, such as counting to five before speaking.

Follow-Up Discussion

• Reflect on Learning: Ask the student what they learned from the role-play scenarios and how they can apply these skills in real life.
• Encourage Questions: Invite the student to ask any questions they have about personal boundaries and social cues.
• Provide Feedback: Offer positive reinforcement and constructive feedback to support the student's learning.

Conclusion

• Summarize the key points from the role-play activity.
• Encourage the student to practice these skills in daily interactions and remind them that it's okay to ask for help if needed.

Impulse Control Game

Objective

To practice impulse control by engaging in a fun and interactive game that encourages waiting and thinking before acting.

Materials Needed

• A set of cards with different scenarios
• A timer
• A small reward (e.g., stickers or tokens)

Game Setup

1. Prepare the Cards: Create a set of cards with different scenarios that require impulse control. For example:

   • "You see a delicious cake. Wait for the timer before you can pretend to eat it."
   • "You want to interrupt someone speaking. Wait for the timer before you can respond."
   • "You feel like grabbing a toy. Wait for the timer before you can touch it."

2. Set the Timer: Use a timer set for 10-30 seconds, depending on the scenario's difficulty.

How to Play

1. Draw a Card: The student draws a card from the deck.
2. Read the Scenario: Read the scenario aloud and explain what the student needs to do.
3. Start the Timer: Set the timer and encourage the student to wait until the timer goes off before acting.
4. Reward Impulse Control: If the student successfully waits, provide positive reinforcement with a small reward.

Game Variations

• Increase Challenge: Gradually increase the waiting time as the student becomes more comfortable with the game.
• Role-Play Scenarios: Incorporate role-play elements where the student must wait for their turn to speak or act in a social situation.

Follow-Up Discussion

• Reflect on Experience: Discuss how it felt to wait and what strategies helped the student control their impulses.
• Apply Skills: Talk about how these skills can be used in real-life situations, such as waiting before speaking or acting.

Conclusion

• Encourage Practice: Remind the student that practicing impulse control can help in many areas of life, including respecting personal boundaries and recognizing social cues.
• Provide Support: Offer additional support and encouragement as the student continues to develop these skills.