<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading">Us as adults are well aware of personal space and the need for it, but as most parents know, personal space for kids is usually nonexistent. </h2>



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<h6 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading">*Disclaimer: links may be affiliate links meaning I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you*</h6>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Which is why it is so important to teach personal space for kids as well as allowing them to have personal space. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Some tips I have learned while teaching my children, as well as kids in the classroom when I used to teach, about personal space is I would tell them &#8220;bubble&#8221;. </p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Code Word</h2>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Bubble was the code word I would say and they would take a step back. I explained personal space by making it something visually representative of something they knew.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">A bubble. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">I used a bubble because most every child knows what a bubble looks like. So I explained to my students and now my own kids that when I say &#8220;bubble&#8221; that I needed them to take a step (or two) back because they were too close in my &#8220;bubble&#8221;.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This allowed them to visualize it and follow through. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Plus it wasn&#8217;t a harsh word like &#8220;back up&#8221; which can come across harsh to kids, especially young ones. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">So as my kids get too close, I say &#8220;bubble&#8221; and they know to back up and carry on with what they were saying. Simple and effective. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">And it works both ways, they are allowed to tell me &#8220;bubble&#8221; if they feel I am too much in their space as well. It has to be a two-way street to be effective. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">There are even <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Harrison-Spader-Personal-Invader-Little/dp/1515827232/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&;keywords=personal+space+books+for+kids&;qid=1603073236&;sr=8-5&;linkCode=ll1&;tag=mamabearrevie-20&;linkId=85962a28604c0daa5b99ae2df9b6637e&;language=en_US" target="_blank" rel="sponsored noreferrer noopener"><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">kids books</span></a> about personal space that kids can see and relate to as well. Here is another one perfect for a <a href="https://amzn.to/3khbhKs" target="_blank" rel="sponsored noreferrer noopener"><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">Kindergartener </span></a>classroom.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Don&#8217;t Force It</h2>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Another key to personal space for kids is not to force anything. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This may sound like a no brainer but truly think about it. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">How many times do you go over to a friends house or relatives house and when you leave do you say, &#8220;give Grandpa a hug bye&#8221; or &#8220;give Grandma a kiss bye&#8221;?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This is not only teaching kids to get into other peoples personal space, but it also forcing kids to have other people in their personal space. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Have you ever told you little one, &#8220;ah give Grandma a hug&#8221; or &#8220;let Grandma hug you silly&#8221;? Or what about a relative coming up to your child and hugging them and kissing them without asking?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This may seem silly, but would you want some relative coming up to you in your personal space hugging and kissing all over you?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Most of us don&#8217;t even think about it. We just let it happen because &#8220;its family&#8221;.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">How scary is that to think about?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">We let family get into our &#8220;bubble&#8221; because that&#8217;s just what is expected?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">I&#8217;m sorry, but that stops in this generation in my family. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Now it may be a cultural thing and I totally understand and respect that, but I think the bigger question needs to be, are you okay with that?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">If you are, then cool and don&#8217;t worry about it.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">If you aren&#8217;t, then maybe its time to stand up for yourselves and your children. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Now I know it may be hard because its family. You don&#8217;t want to offend or upset anyone.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">But that&#8217;s your child. And at least for me, my kids happiness and safety come before any family members feelings. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Now some may not feel as strongly as I do about it, so here are some ways to not offend family when they want in your child&#8217;s personal space. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Offer an Alternative</h2>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Give your child a way out. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">When my oldest was little, she was shy and apprehensive to new people and when family members would come up to her or say &#8220;give me a hug&#8221; she would hide behind me or just stare blankly at them.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Some family members got offended and mad about getting rejected by a toddler. I used to get embarrassed by it until I thought about it a different way.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">If someone was coming up to you that you weren&#8217;t all that familiar with and demanded a hug or kiss, would you be willing to do so?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Chances are you wouldn&#8217;t be, so why force kids to do it?</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This is why I would tell my daughter, &#8220;how about a high-five or a wave instead?&#8221; And she would happily wave or high-five instead. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This allowed her a CHOICE!</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">It allowed her to make the choice whether to let someone in her personal space. It also allowed her a way out of that invasion of personal space. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">After awhile, family members caught on and realized what I was doing and I even explained to them that I was not going to force her to give them a hug or kiss. It was her choice. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">But what I do force my children to do is to acknowledge someone. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">You do <em>not </em>have to hug them.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">You do <em>not </em>have to kiss them.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">You do <em>not </em>have to give them a high-five or knuckle bump.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">But you <em>do </em>have to acknowledge their existence because that is the nice thing to do. There is no reason to be rude. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">But you can do so in a non-touch way. Whether that be a wave hello or goodbye or verbally saying it. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This way that person or family member feels acknowledged and no one is in the personal space for kids. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">This has worked wonders for my daughters and actually has allowed my kids to become more in charge of their bodies and now they will give family members a hug that they used to just wave to. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">Its about becoming comfortable with the situation and kids need that just as much, if not more, than adults do. </p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">So why are we not teaching that personal space for kids is okay. Adults need it and so do kids. They are human too.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size">For more relative advice <a href="https://mamabearreviews.com/how-to-tell-your-family-no-more-toys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">read here</span></a> about gifts from relatives and how to steer them in the right direction. 

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