I was comparing house rules with a friend the other day and I found it interesting how different our rules are, and how we prioritise different rules over others. Sometimes, as I discovered while chatting about it, we might even have rules that we enforce without really thinking about why — perhaps they are rules we had in our own childhood homes, enforced by our own parents, and we’ve just continued to keep them. Or alternatively, we have rules that feel really important to have it is almost unimaginable that another family might not have the same rules in their home. (My good friend, for example, doesn’t mind if her children jump on their sofa! In our house, this is a huge no.)
Here are some of the rules that are important in our home:
- Take your shoes off at the door
- No food outside the kitchen or dining area
- Ask to be excused before leaving the table at meal times (our kids also have to clear their own plate to the sink when they’re finished eating)
- No toys at the table (this one has surprised a few of my friends!)
- Try everything on your plate before deciding you don’t like it
- No standing or jumping on furniture (I must have to remind my kids of this rule at least once a day!)
- No balls in the house
- Replace the toilet paper roll if you use the last of one
- Our kids are always allowed to help themselves to fruit from the fruit bowl, but if they want something else to eat, they have to ask
- If my boys want to use my computer, to look up the surf report or search for something online, they ALWAYS have to ask me first
- Remember your chores!
- Be polite! The following words are not allowed in our home: shut-up, hate, stupid, or any other insulting word. (Also, no swearing, but that is probably obvious.)
Like Emilie mentioned in an earlier post, I also want my kids to know they have to follow the rules of any home they go to, despite whether it’s a rule we have in our home.
So please share — what rules do you enforce in your house? I’m curious to hear. Are mine really strict?
Courtney x
p.s. The photos above were taken by our friend Amelia Fullarton just after Wilkie was born. One year ago!
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