Module 3 – Worksheet 2: What Happens Inside Me When Rules Are Broken?
✨ Introduction
Every rule comes with a story. Not just a story we tell our children, but one that plays inside us—shaped by our past, our stress levels, our values. Before we set limits or enforce consequences, it helps to know:
What do I feel when limits are tested? What beliefs show up? How do I usually respond—and how would I like to?
1. Imagine a recent moment when your child (or someone close) broke a rule or boundary.
Maybe they shouted, ignored a request, hit a sibling, or refused to do something.
Without judging, describe the situation in 2–3 sentences.
🖊️ What happened?
2. Now pause and check in with yourself.
What did I feel?
Where did I feel it (body, breath, thoughts)?
What did I want to do—reactively?
🖊️ Write openly, with no filters:
3. What beliefs or messages surfaced in that moment?
Complete the sentences that feel true to you:
- “If I don’t stop this now, ___.”
- “They should ___.”
- “A good parent would ___.”
- “This means that I’m ___.”
🖊️ Write your own versions here:
4. Now imagine pausing that moment.
What would a response—not a reaction—look like?
What values do you want to bring in?
(E.g., calm, fairness, curiosity, firmness, empathy…)
🖊️ Describe your ideal response in that same situation:
Complete the sentence:
“When rules are broken, I want to respond from ____, not from ____,
because my goal is to teach ____.”
🖊️ Write your intention:
🌀 Visual Reflection (optional)
Draw a small diagram:
- One circle for “What I usually feel/react.”
- One circle for “What I want to embody instead.”
Add a small arrow between them.
In the arrow, name what helps you shift: a breath, a word, a pause, a memory, etc.
📷 Your sketch:
✅ This activity connects to the online course section on regulating ourselves before responding. Positive discipline isn’t about having perfect answers—it’s about pausing long enough to choose how we show up.