“Rich, creamy, and cheesy potatoes smothered in heavy cream and parmesan goodness are sure to be a hit.” That is the nonchalant statement I made the other night to a young woman who was new to the house. I had stopped by to do my regular check in. Before I could get up the walk way she came up to me and said, “We need to talk.” I informed her we could, but I had a ritual and I plan to stick to it. I have five core boundaries rules:

1. Treat youth equally and be consistent when engaging different youth. Remember past interactions with others and do your best to be consistent. While we can’t treat all youth the same, we can do our best to show them all the same level of respect and consistency.
2. The power dynamic- remember this is a one sided relationship with these youth…