Supporting my 6yo with personal space, boundaries and impulsive behaviour

[Luckymummyx3]

my 6yo DS struggles with personal space, boundaries and impulsive behaviour. Any advice on how to support this beyond continuously explaining the need for giving people space etc? Example - he has a baby sister who he adores. He constantly wants to kiss her and be in very close contact with her. When we explain she needs space too he says he can’t help it because he just loves her so much. It doesn’t particularly bother her, but it is too intense a lot of the time and we spend a lot of time managing it. I don’t want to feel (and for him to feel) we are rejecting and correcting him all the time.

Any practical advice or tips?

There’s a book you can buy and various interventions online you teach about personal space. Google Space Invaders personal space.

This book suggests the stretched out arms method which is usually used in PE lessons in KS1 to teach finding a space.

I’d add in time for snuggles with baby, hug to greet, when sharing a book and at bedtime etc. You can be less rigid once the idea is embedded.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harrison-Spader-Personal-Invader-Little/dp/1515827232