Online Event: “I Set Boundaries Because I Love You – The Challenge of Discipline” (November 2025)

With great interest and high participation, the online event organized by Agape Hellas and Magdalena, titled “I Set Boundaries Because I Love You – The Challenge of Discipline,” took place on Saturday, November 15th, 2025, at 19:00. The event was aimed at parents, educators, and all those wishing to strengthen their relationships with children and adolescents, offering practical knowledge and valuable guidance on this important topic.

The keynote speaker was Counseling Psychologist–Psychotherapist Kyriki Milousi, who, drawing on her academic background and many years of clinical experience, presented a comprehensive approach to the role of boundaries in children’s development.

Ms. Milousi emphasized from the very beginning the importance of balancing love and discipline, underlining that boundaries are not a form of restriction but an act of care, protection, and guidance. She highlighted that while parental love is unconditional and that it is not the same as overprotection – which, as she explained, often leads to anxiety, dependency, and low autonomy in children. Healthy love, instead, is expressed through acceptance accompanied by consistent and thoughtful boundary-setting.

She went on to outline how the absence of boundaries creates insecurity, egocentric behaviors, and difficulties in social adjustment. As she pointed out, children need predictability and clear rules in order to develop self-regulation, emotional resilience, and the ability to cooperate with others. She stressed that discipline should not be equated with punishment or rejection, but rather with teaching and constructive guidance – and that parental consistency and stability are essential for discipline to be effective.

Ms. Milousi placed particular emphasis on positive rule-setting, a calm yet firm tone of voice, and the avoidance of humiliating “labels” that can harm a child’s self-esteem. She also noted that children learn primarily from parental example rather than verbal instructions alone. For this reason, she explained, consistency between parents’ words and actions is fundamental to any form of boundary-setting.

She also highlighted the importance of consequences – both positive and negative – in shaping children’s and adolescents’ behavior. She discussed the significance of reinforcing positive behaviors, while pointing out that negative consequences must be logical, immediate, and clearly connected to the child’s behavior – never demeaning or punitive. She added that children require time, repetition, and calm environments in order to understand and integrate these rules.

A special reference was made to the differing needs of each developmental stage: younger children who need simple and clear rules; school-age children who can begin to participate responsibly in rule-making; and adolescents, for whom discipline relies more heavily on dialogue, respect, negotiation, and the cultivation of trust and responsibility. She stressed that parents must be present, supportive, and consistent in setting boundaries with respect – avoiding excessive punishments and acting with a clear intention of protection – while also remaining calm even when children test those boundaries, a completely natural part of their developmental process.

In closing, Ms. Milousi drew attention to the serious risks associated with excessive use of phones and screens, highlighting the need for strict time limits and increased parental supervision. She emphasized that meaningful connection, the strengthening of self-esteem, and the cultivation of healthy family experiences are powerful “antidotes” to digital dependency.

With clarity and approachability, she demonstrated that boundaries – when given with respect, consistency, and love – do not restrict children. Instead, they help them grow with confidence, emotional security, and inner freedom.

At the end of her presentation, Ms. Milousi answered participants’ questions, offering further clarifications and practical advice for applying boundaries in everyday life.

If you were unable to register for this online event, you will soon be able to watch it once it is uploaded to Magdalena’s YouTube channel (@magdalenagreece) — so stay tuned! (On this channel, you can also find recordings of all previous Magdalena events.)

Lastly, if you wish to receive updates about similar events, you can follow Magdalena on Facebook (magdalenagreece) and Instagram (magdalena.greece)