What should you do if a young person asks you to talk about something personal?

• A. Politely explain that you understand their curiosity but your personal life is private.
• B. Tell them everything.
• C. Refuse to talk.
• D. Tell them to talk to a peer

Answer: (A)

Setting and maintaining professional boundaries is key when a young person asks about personal life. A response that shows you understand their curiosity but keeps your own life private does both: it respects them and models healthy limits. This keeps the relationship focused on their needs, prevents boundary blurring, and teaches that some information is off-limits. Other approaches either reveal too much, shut down the conversation, or shift responsibility away, and all of those weaken trust and can be inappropriate in a guiding role. If they have questions, you can acknowledge feelings and offer to discuss general topics or how to handle similar situations in a suitable, non-personal way.