Athletics & Wellness
Grade 10
45 min
Communicating Boundaries: Speaking Up with Confidence
Learning to communicate your boundaries is a superpower for building healthy relationships. This lesson will give you the tools to speak up with confidence and protect your well-being.
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What & Why
Boundaries are the limits and rules we set for ourselves within relationships. They can be physical, emotional, mental, or digital.Why do they matter?Self-Respect: They show that you value your own needs and feelings.Safety: They protect you from being taken advantage of or harmed.Healthy Relationships: Clear boundaries help others understand how to treat you respectfully, which builds trust.
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Example 1 — Social Pressure
Your friends are planning to go to a party where you know there will be underage drinking, and you're not comfortable with it. They say, "Come on, everyone's going! Don't be lame."How to respond:State your feeling and the boundary (Use an "I" statement): "I feel uncomfortable with the idea of underage drinking, so I'm going to skip this party."Be firm and simple: You don't need a long excuse. "No, thank you" is a complete sentence.Suggest an alternative (Optional): "I can't make it to the party, but how about we all go for pizza tomorrow instead?" This shows you still value the friendship.
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Example 2 — Digital Overload
A friend texts you constantly, even late at night, and gets upset if you don't reply immediately. You feel stressed and like you have no downtime.How to respond:Choose a calm time to talk (not in the middle of a text storm): "Hey, can we chat for a sec about texting?"Use an "I" statement to explain your need: "I really value our friendship, but I feel overwhelmed when I get texts late at night because I need that time to unwind. I'm not always able to reply right away."Set the boundary clearly: "From now on, I'll be turning my phone off at 10 PM. If you text after that, I'll get back to you in the morning."
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Beginner
What is the main advantage of using an "I" statement when setting a boundary?
A.It focuses on your feelings and needs without blaming the other person.
B.It guarantees the other person will do what you want.
C.It is a way to win an argument and prove you are right.
D.It makes your statement sound more apologetic and less confrontational.
Beginner
Your friend asks to borrow your phone to make a call, but then starts scrolling through your private photos. What is the BEST way to communicate your boundary?
A.Say nothing and hope they stop soon.
B.Grab the phone back and yell at them for being nosy.
C.Calmly say, "Hey, I'm not comfortable with you looking through my photos. Please give my phone back."
D.Make a joke about it so they don't feel bad.
Beginner
Which of the following is an example of a healthy digital boundary?
A.Sharing your social media passwords with your partner to show you trust them.
B.Feeling like you must reply to every text message instantly.
C.Deciding not to share your location with friends 24/7.
D.Posting everything about your life online to be open and honest.
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