Chip Conley compares life to a sandbox. View: Life as a Sandbox. I learned these lessons from Olivia (was under 5 years old) and am learning these lessons from Sage (2 1/2 years old). Life is creative and fun in the sandbox, but when Sage steps out of the sandbox, all hell breaks loose. He darts for the hose and waters the universe. It's my fault. I taught him how to choose water flow and how to aim at plants that need watering. To Sage, everything needs watering, even me and the sandbox. We learned to set boundaries after three changes of wet clothes in a day. I want him to know no boundaries to his abilities, but he also needs to become aware of boundaries that Chip is discovering in his 50s.
Here's Chip's guides to setting boundaries:
1. Get clear - personally first and then with others - about how you’re defining your sandbox.
2. Create a space or time where you love to be outside the sandbox. And protect this with your life.
3. Assemble your own special agents who help protect your boundaries.
For now, I am Sage's special agent on Fridays. By protecting his boundaries, I am learning to protect my own.
Photo by Aunt Ari