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Every family has its quirks and peculiar moments, sure. But it’s only when you take a step back, get some distance, and look at things from a different perspective that you realize just how bizarre some of those rules and regulations really were.
Recently, some members of AskReddit spilled the tea about the weirdest rules that their parents had at home. It was only after they grew up that they realized just how odd they really were. We’ve collected some of their most intriguing and peculiar childhood stories, and you can check them out as you scroll down.
Bored Panda reached out to u/Main_Masterpiece_793, who sparked the intriguing discussion, and they were kind enough to share their perspective. Check out their thoughts below!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The Interrupt Rule. If we wanted to talk to our parents but they were talking to someone else, we would place our hand on their arm, they would acknowledge it by placing their hand on ours, and then we would keep our hands there until they turned to ask us what we needed. I did it to a teacher and I'll never forget how confused (and frankly a little freaked out) she looked seeing a child just touching her arm and staring at her while she was talking to another teacher.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
My parents had a similar rule, although it was just a touch on the upper arm. I still do this. A light touch on the arm to let someone know I need their attention, then I just wait until they can get to me.
BrownEyedGrrl 8 months ago
This is great! I'm gonna use it when my 2 year-old is a little older.
Pat Fisher 6 months ago
One time while my parents were talking, I stood by them waiting. My forehead needed 8 stitches. My face was covered in blood.
cerinamroth 8 months ago
This is what we do with our kids. It's good to teach them that conversations are about taking turns. They know that they only do that with us though because other people might not know the rule.
We were incredibly curious to find out about the inspiration behind the question. "Honestly, I created the thread out of curiosity and nostalgia," u/Main_Masterpiece_793 said.
"I was thinking back on some of the odd rules I had growing up and wondered how universal that experience was. Turns out, very," the author shared.
"I think a lot of families create weird rules as a way to maintain control or pass down beliefs without always questioning where those rules came from in the first place."
RELATED:
#2
Always talk to the cat in a normal voice and not in the "baby talk" voice people do with pets, because he will think you're stupid.
He probably does, anyway.
Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
When I talk in the baby voice to my dog his tail wags extra quick, I know he loves it
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
Yes! XD I do both though - talk in the baby-voice sometimes, and talk in a normal voice (as if I was talking to another human being) sometimes. I read about a study a while back that said that dogs pick up on our emotions REALLY well when we talk to them as if we were conversing with a fellow human. The study theorized that dogs spoken to in this way could be "closer" to their owners - as in - for example, they know when you're SUPER sad vs just a little sad, etc., and act/react accordingly with their owners. Of course, when my puppers are EXTRA good bois and follow commands, they get the super-excited high-pitched baby voice XD Heck, I've watched enough K9-officer and handler interactions - the handlers use the high-pitched baby voice on their partners when the K9 finds the lost person/finds the "substances"/apprehends the perpetrator, so if the professional law enforcement officer uses the baby voice on their partner and the K9 gets super excited.. my dogs will love the voice too! XD
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Michelle C 8 months ago
Talking to them like humans benefits them cognitively, emotionally, and socially much like talking to babies as adults benefits babies. This rule makes sense.
#3
Nothing good happens after midnight. Then I visited a Waffle House at 2am.
Upstaged75 8 months ago
Man I miss living near a Waffle House! There's nothing like home fries (smothered and covered) plus a bacon egg and cheese sandwich at 3am. :) I have many great college memories from there.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
That sounds so delicious ;_; I live in Southern California and the nearest Waffle House is in Phoenix, AZ :(
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Brian Droste 8 months ago
There is a Waffle House by where I live. I am not sure if it is open all nightl
Bored Panda also asked the author for their thoughts about what good parenting looks like.
"To me, being a great parent is less about rigid rules and more about consistency, emotional presence, and modeling values with integrity," u/Main_Masterpiece_793 told us.
"Rules help shape structure, but when they become arbitrary or fear-based, that’s where the line gets blurry. The best environments allow kids to ask why without being shut down."
Ideally, parents will find a healthy balance between rules, regulations, and restrictions on the one hand and support, warmth, and nurturing on the other. Essentially, what you want to aim for is a home atmosphere where your child feels empowered to grow, learn, and try new things while also having a solid framework of expectations for their behavior.
#4
Our kitchen used to "close" at 9pm.
ChugChug 8 months ago
We have the same rule. Otherwise the kids just ignore dinner and start crying at bedtime that they are hungry, so we would end up late in bed and me still cleaning the kitchen at 10pm.
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
I have to make a similar rule at my work. I run an afterschool program and try to get dishes washed by 5pm, so the kitchen is closed after that.
Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
That's grand if it's no cooking after 9pm but you are still allowed to make sandwiches/toast ect
#5
No one allowed in or out of the house on New Years day until my red headed uncle came to visit. It's good luck if the first person in the door on New Years is a redhead. There were 10 kids in my mom's family. Poor Uncle Bill was run ragged by 2 pm!
FreeTheUnicorn 8 months ago
In Scotland you want a dark haired man to be the first through the door. Traditionally you want to bring a gift like oatcakes, shortbread, whisky and coal if you're going First Footing.
Scott Rackley 8 months ago
I find traditions like this neat. Where I'm at it's just black eyed peas, greens, hog jowl bacon, etc. You also have to take a shot of pot liquor.
FABULOUS1 8 months ago
On New Years in my house: you cannot take out the trash, no lending out money, you must eat the black eyed peas, collard greens and greens grapes, nothing brought in and nothing taken out, dont do anything that you dont want to spend the year doing
#6
You have to “say hello” to the plants. Every morning, greet the houseplants. Respect the greenery। Spend time there,will i love that now. I am gonna follow it always.
quentariel 8 months ago
This is a cute one, but I'm glad we didn't do that as growing up we had about 30 plants and it would have took half of a morning.
urbeinghunted 25 8 months ago
"Good morning rubber-plant! You're looking beautiful and uh rubbery!"
The authoritative parenting style offers that blend of firm limits while also providing a nurturing, responsive, and supportive environment. Clarity and communication are key here. According to the American Psychological Association, authoritative parents take the time to discuss with their kids everything that’s going on. They explain the rules and why they’re there, and genuinely listen to their munchkins’ viewpoints, even if they don’t always accept them.
The benefits for kids who grow up in authoritative households are numerous. As per the APA, children raised this way tend to be:
- Friendly;
- Energetic;
- Cheerful;
- Self-reliant;
- Self-controlled;
- Curious;
- Cooperative;
- Achievement-oriented.
#7
Not me, but a girlfriends family rule, was you got one drink with dinner and couldn’t have a refill.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
Not even if the drink was water? Jeez, that seems horrendous - some foods need help to be "washed down"!
Deeelite 8 months ago
If it needs to be "washed down" then it's not cooked properly
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Brandi VanSteenwyk 8 months ago
It's a way of making sure that you eat all the nutritional goodness prepared and presented to you. Too many drinks while eating may cause you to feel full from liquid rather than food.... And be hungry again sooner.
Justanotherpanda 8 months ago
It is actually better to not drink with food. Messes with your stomach.
murmelinpaiva 8 months ago
It was the same in my family when eating out, but that was before free refills.
Andrew Keir 7 months ago
Big cups I hope? Too many people are dehydrated and don't realise what this is doing to various organs in their body
Morgan Ostertag 7 months ago
Outside of the United States there are no free refills, unless you are at pizza hut. I say this as an American who has lived abroad for almost 20 years. Most of the world seems to get through a meal without an unlimited amount of soda or sweet tea. Also always ask for tap water otherwise you will pay through the nose for expensive bottled water.
#8
If you turn the light on in the car that a cop will pull you over and give you a ticket.
Upstaged75 8 months ago (edited)
I think every parent in the world has told that one at some point. My dad used to say the same thing. While not illegal in most places, it IS annoying for the driver to drive at night with the dome light on.
Mark Kelly 8 months ago
But its technically true, you're not allowed have on alights above the belt line when the car is moving cuz it creates the fishbowl effect that you cannot see out the window
Michelle C 8 months ago
90s kids heard that it was illegal all the time. That does make sense due to possible visual instructions, and, my sister added conserving batteries!
BookFanatic 8 months ago
And yet--in the US--I've heard multiple cops say that turning on the dome light is the first thing to do when you get pulled over.
murmelinpaiva 8 months ago
I was trying to burn some time before taking my grandsons back home, so I went driving to look at Christmas lights. The whole time the older boy was reading by the dome light and the younger one was kicking the back of my seat.
#9
My mom always told me growing up that I could wear any color nail polish I wanted, except for red. Because, and I quote, "it's a color that hookers wear". So f*****g bizarre.
Doofnuts 8 months ago
Yeah, I'm from that generation. Back in the day, red lipstick and nails was definitely 'hooker".
Gavin Johnson 8 months ago
A friend of mine grew up with a mother who judged anyone with red nails, lips or shoes. As soon as she left home she immediately bought some slightly too tall red high heels, red lipstick and red nail polish. She loved the thought of her Mum catching her.
Learner Panda 8 months ago
When I have had red nail varnish it always rubbed off. If I was working, my nails would leave red streaks on the paperwork.
Svenne O'Lotta 8 months ago
You gotta get a top coat. polish alone isn't enough
Load More Replies... Morgan Ostertag 7 months ago
My mom used to tell me only hookers wear red. I guess it's the same line of thinking. I love wearing red, but used to worry a lot about what people would think of me if I wore a red dress.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
And yet, for some of us, anything BUT red wasn't acceptable. Then in the 1980s other colors because acceptable. I remember, vaguely, hearing about some female reporter using the borscht she was served to tint her nails and lips when she was held in Russia.
Meanwhile, Verywell Mind notes that authoritative parents raise reasonable demands and are very responsive. So, while they may have high expectations, they also provide their kids with all the resources and support that they need in order to succeed. In short, these parents offer a mix of limits, discipline, love, and warmth. Authoritative parents also tend to use positive reinforcement rather than threats or punishment.
Authoritative parents:
- Administer fair and consistent discipline when rules get broken;
- Allow their kids to express opinions and encourage discussions about them;
- Express warmth and nurturing;
- Encourage independence and reasoning;
- Actively listen;
- Place limits, consequences, and expectations on behavior.
#10
Soft drinks are adult drinks.
Imagine my horror when I went to a birthday party in kindergarten and the Mom started to serve soft drinks to us - 5 year olds! Being the rule follower that I was, I said that I wasn’t allowed to drink it because it was an adult drink. The mom convinced me that my parents would be okay if I had a glass. I remember being very upset with my parents after the party because I was so embarrassed.
Upstaged75 8 months ago
They should have explained it better, but the parents have a point. Little kids really shouldn't drink soda. Neither should I but as an adult I can make my own bad choices. :)
BookFanatic 8 months ago
Upvote because I'm sitting here with a can of Coke.
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The Other Guest 8 months ago
The party-Mom should have just offered OP a glass of water rather than insisting OP do something her parents had told her was wrong.
Winnie the Moo 8 months ago
I also tell my kids that. Nothing wrong with this, soda drinks are sugar fueled garbage…
#11
Meals would be done in order of age, my parents ate first, then my older brother and sister then me. We never ate together.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
I've seen this done the opposite way where the kids eat first, but it's usually because one parent worked fairly late, and it let the parents have some alone time. But the parents eating first just seems selfish.
Gavin Johnson 8 months ago
We had our evening meal at 6pm sharp. Whole family sat around a dining table. If you weren’t there then you best have a very good reason if it hadn’t been arranged in advance. Everyone had to talk about what they’d done that day and two days out of the working week my brother and I cooked. My Mum talked about the school she was a headteacher of, nothing too surprising there but my Dad would talk about the intricacies of the plants he was designing or purchasing for, I know a surprising amount about oil, gas and processing!
The Other Guest 8 months ago
Imagine being a hungry kid & having to wait for four other family members to finish their meals one at a time before you could eat. Even if each person only took 5-10 minutes to eat, that's 20-40 minutes of food drying out/getting cold while you sit there getting hungrier & hungrier. I wonder if OP hid food in their room so they could have a secret snack while waiting?
OneHappyPuppy 8 months ago
Turkish? In the countries ruled by the ottomans this was the norm. Head of house, all men, then the women and lastly the children. It's mind boggling to me...
cerinamroth 8 months ago
We tend to do it the other way around. Daughter and son get theirs first because they are extremely slow eaters. So we still all sit down together and finish at the same time!
#12
All steak had to be WELL DONE. I didn’t know anything less than well done existed until I went to college. Now, I take my steak medium.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
My mom would always cook steaks/meat to basically a piece of charcoal. I hated the burned bits and would eat my steak with ketchup because of my loathing for the burned flavor. Then, one day, I realized my dad always cooked his OWN steaks/meat whenever we had meat. His steak was a lot thicker than the ones my mom cooked for herself and us kids, and it looked pink inside and NOT BURNED on the outside. I asked for a bite. My mother nearly had a conniption, but my dad gave me a slice of his steak. I could never stomach another thin, sad piece of burned steak after that and always asked my dad to cook my steak along with his own XD My preferred steak done-ness is "as rare as possible; hell, just wave it over a flame three times and I'll be happy" XD I also don't use ketchup on steak any more, as - who'd have thought? - the meat itself tastes delicious when prepared properly and not cremated!
V 8 months ago
Didn't often get steak when I was a child because it was for the men, women and kids got sausages. But when there was extra it was always like eating leather, I didn't see what the big deal was, still had to slather it with sauce like the charred sausages to make it palatable. Then I had steak outside of my family and my mind was blown.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 8 months ago
Same at my house until my mum met my stepdad. I learnt a lot more about food and became more adventurous about it when he came around. Like I had only had fried rice and chow mien as far as 'Chinese' food until I was 17.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
Well done doesn't mean burnt into shoe leather. A properly cooked well done steak is still juicy and flavorful.
Load More Replies... BookFanatic 8 months ago
Yes. All steaks and all hamburgers had to be cooked into gray and black charcoal.
Brandi VanSteenwyk 8 months ago
My neighbor used to char (literally, looked like chunks of charcoal) all the meat she cooked for their family. I never understood that. Must be a family pass-down thing.
What are the most bizarre or unusual rules or traditions that you had to follow when you were little, dear Pandas? When did you first realize that those rules were very different from how things were at your friends’ homes?
Now that you’re older, what do you think are the most peculiar parenting things that you’ve introduced at home yourself? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Share them in the comments below.
#13
If there was an event (afterschool or a birthday party or anything) and it was on a day they worked it was an automatic no cuz they were at work. if it was on a day they had off it was a no because they wanted to enjoy their day off. if i offered to be dropped off or picked up by a friends parents or hell Walk it was a no because there could be serial killers waiting to kidnap me. my day was wake up, go to school, come home, eat dinner, go to bed. all day every day.
i had a really lonely childhood once people figured out id always say no to invites.
Scarlett O'Hara's Ghost 8 months ago
Gang r@ped. I wasn't allowed out with friends, no after school job or sports because no matter where I went, I was going to be gang r@ped. I was terrified of it. I had no idea what it was for most of my childhood, but I was terrified. Took me years to finally understand it was the men you know in your life you had to be careful of, not complete strangers roving the streets in groups!!
Tom De Paul 8 months ago
Didn't you watch TV and see depictions of normal family life? I never understand these. My parents were very close to be "just off the boat" and did a lot (!) of weird and quirky things. And I knew everyone of them wasn't something a normal family would do.
Load More Replies... Eric Ledger 8 months ago
I hope you cut these parents out of your life for having prevented you from having a social life like that.
Michelle C 8 months ago
There’s a big difference between “I have to know where you are and who you’re with so I know you’re safe” and “ because I’m the parent and I said so.” Unfortunately, I experienced the latter from my dad. Thankfully, I got blessed with my mom in that way in addition to many other aspects of growing up!
#14
Not being able to use the couch cushions/pillows and blankets because those were only to decorate when we had guests over.
Ends up my mom has untreated OCD and only told us years later LOL explains a lot of her behavior.
Lauren Caswell 8 months ago
Oh, towels and soaps too! Heaven forbid. It can become a compulsion
Scott Rackley 8 months ago (edited)
First time I went to my SIL's parent's house, I was told I could use the look at towels. I just dried my hands on my pants.
Load More Replies... nottheactualphoto 8 months ago
My friend's mother had fitted clear plastic covers on her living room furniture. Stranger than fiction.
BrownEyedGrrl 8 months ago
Kids weren't even ALLOWED in my friend's living room.
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Eugene the Jeep 8 months ago
My great-grandmother's living room was strictly off limits to us. With all the knick knacks and photos everywhere, it was her museum showroom. Only the parish priest and possibly Queen Elizabeth were received in that room.
Aussi Panda 8 months ago
Unrelated but, when I was a kid my mum went to have a nap & said don’t wake me up unless the queen comes. A little while later someone knocked on the door & I asked HIM if he was the queen 😂
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Ruth Watry 8 months ago
As an adult, I have pillows for the sofa that I only bring out when I have guests
Michelle C 8 months ago
It’s possible she didn’t know she had OCD. Many people don’t find out until later in life if they have OCD, ADHD, etc.
Kalikima 8 months ago
I found out I have ADHD at 43. But it explains so much.
Load More Replies... #15
We were not allowed to invite a friend over for a sleepover two times in a row; they had to host first before we could invite them again. Looking back, I think this was my Mom’s way of avoiding sleepovers.
Evelien Stijger Martens 8 months ago
I guess its to prevent others to only vome to you and not do anything themselves. I had parents dumping their children at my house and never invite back. Later o found out we were used so the parents could go out.
#16
If I had a friend over, went to a friend's house, went to the mall with a friend or even went outside and played with any other kids one weekend, I better not even ask to do anything the following weekend. Many weekends I spent alone in my room. I was a straight A kid too. And at 17, I had a 9pm curfew on Saturday nights.
Andrew Keir 7 months ago
They just don't realise that, after about age 12, parenting is a process of letting go, slowly but steadily
Load More Replies... Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
That's just stupid, if every second weekend was family fun weekends you could understand but to leave a kid in the room alone the weekend just doesn't make sense
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
My mum was the opposite. She always wanted mee to 'socialise' and I hated it. I kept getting put into sports or classes and I only went for about a term each because I didn't make friends there. I just wanted to stay home and read. I did go to friends houses and the next door neighbour was always at ours, but this wasn't enough for her for some reason.
Tom De Paul 8 months ago
Give me a book and a comfortable sofa/chair in an air conditioned room!
Load More Replies... Lauren Caswell 8 months ago (edited)
(Edit: see explanation below for my material privilege not being as rosy as it seems re tv. I was and am emotionally responsible for my mother, i have known this froma young age. Items dont mean love. More below)Ott strictness can sometimes have unfortunate effects. Luckily not in my case, but we were 'bad teens' whom our parents secretly followed, kept under early bedtime and tight control (No tv in room until 17). My sister was dux ffs (Head girl/valedictorian), I worked part time and did school high achieving too. Took me til my 30s to realise I wasn't a bad teen. I did move out at 17 though, I just had to. A rough experience when you've been sheltered from the world
ElfVibratorGlitter 8 months ago
Growing up there was one television for my family in the family room. Period. I bought myself a laptop at 16/17 because they had so much tracking software on the family computer it would just jam up or run incredibly slow. I didn't have a television in my room until I was 37 (but that was mostly for sleep health reasons and then I moved in with my partner).
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#17
My dad used to tell us that we weren't allowed to touch the painted parts of the car because it would mess it up. Only touch the handles. This was so completely engrained in me that even as an adult I thought that car paint was somehow easily ruined. It wasn't until working in the automotive industry that I realized that, in fact, it's quite durable and, you know, made to be on the road.
Mark Kelly 8 months ago (edited)
Actually you can scratch it if it's covered in dust and you rub the paint it'll create fine scratches especially around door handles like if someone has long fingernails or jewelry
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
The paint is all peeling off the back of my 2016 car, because of a long hot period, followed by a cold snap right after. I saw another of the same make (and colour) with the same problem.
BookFanatic 8 months ago
Went to school with someone who had a car like that. We'd have contests to see who could peel off the biggest flake.
Load More Replies... Tom De Paul 8 months ago (edited)
Once again, didn't you see the car get dirty (and then be washed). Rained on? Snow? Road dirt and grime? I don't understand people that just take their parents' word for everything. Didn't you reality-test things you were told? Ever see a movie (or read a book) where a teen sat on the hood of a car (without damaging it)? Did you think you were actually nose-less when they played "got your nose"? On a completely different matter, I do have 2 bridges I'm selling; one in CA, one in NY. Interested?
#18
We weren’t necessarily allowed to get hurt. At least I wasn’t. My dad deemed it unsightly and unladylike at first. I liked to climb trees and such as a kid and he noticed I had a scab on my arm when I was in the fifth grade. Snatched me up by my arm and yelled at me telling me it made me ugly and no boy would ever love or want to be with me if I had a bunch of scars. Then got mad at me when I said “I’d hope a boy wouldn’t not want to be with me over some scars on my skin, that’s shallow.” Turns out he was right, but it wasn’t about physical scars, nobody wants to be with someone covered in the emotional scars he left 🥴 also the same man who told me I was fat that same summer and wouldn’t allow me to eat past 5pm because I’d get fat and nobody likes fat women. I also had to ask permission for food and/or eat within his restricted times and regulations until I was like 17. If I ate outside of his restrictions, he tore me a new one. I have a very complicated relationship with food and my body now. There’s plenty more, but yeah, my dad sucked.
#19
My dad never allowed me to watch the Simpsons growing up. When I turned 18 I watched it and loved it hahaha.
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
We were allowed to watch it until I had a nightmare after watching the Itchy & Scratchy World episode. Then eventually mum agreed to let us watch it, because my brother and I were older. My little sister then tried to imitate Bart by strangling my brother, so it was banned again.
howdylee 8 months ago
I was 6 when it first aired. We sat down as a family to watch it and see what it was about. My very conservative mother deemed it ungodly and entirely inappropriate for children, we were banned from watching it. New house had a tv in the basement. Brother and his friends would sneak watch the show down there so mom wouldn't know. He still loves the show to the this day, don't know if it's because it's his sense of humor or because it was the forbidden show and he likes rebelling.
Kalikima 8 months ago
I was 8 when the first episode aired. My mom had promised to take us to that Medieval Times restaurant that was so popular, but we decided to go another night cuz everyone really wanted to see this new show. We never ever made it to that restaurant, and I'm low-key disappointed still, 35 years later..
Eric Ledger 8 months ago (edited)
My parents blocked it when I was nearing 11 because I was impressionable and would state all the bad things I was gonna copy after seeing each episode. Even apart from that, I was impulsive and had a habit in general of copying all the wrong things in life, which is the same reason they, like most parents, did not let us watch Beavis & B******d until I was 15.
Tom De Paul 8 months ago
I'm 63 and I've never watched a full episode. I would channel surf when it came on during the "Tracy Ullman Show." With "Family Guy," it's worse. I get the jokes (set up, set up, punch line) but I absolutely hate that show - don't really know why.
Anna Drever 8 months ago
We must have been bad parents because we all watched the Simpsons and even South Park when the kids were a tad older.
Economy 8 months ago
There is a reason that show is rated TV-14. I was 19 when I saw Beavis lop his finger off, and could barely stomach that episode; you can easily guess how badly that would have impacted me at 11.
Load More Replies... #20
No closed doors to bedrooms and bathrooms, even if you were sleeping or taking a shower or taking a dump. I can't poop in a public restroom because though I know this will never happen I somehow am afraid of someone getting mad at me for closing the stall door.
Anthony Elmore 8 months ago
Maintain thorough and intense eye contact with your children while they use the restroom for added effect.
Load More Replies... LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
We had this rule in my house too. No closed doors EVER. My mom would also walk into the bathroom when I was pooping or showering and would start doing her makeup/whatever else she needed to do in the bathroom. Zero privacy. The one good(?) thing it taught me was to figure out VERY clever hiding places in my bedroom for the stuff I didn't want my mom to find, since I could never close/lock my door. But yeah, I really had no idea until adulthood that most people got to CLOSE THE BATHROOM DOOR when they're going poop or close their bedroom door when they're sleeping.
Black Cat 8 months ago
This is horrifying, I couldn't imagine being a teenage girl and having to shower with the door open and my father or brother or brother's friends walking past. Don't even like the idea of my mother of sisters walking by.
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Michelle C 8 months ago
For us, no doors were to be locked ever! I do not miss court-ordered visitation with my dad. I will say that at least he was not a hypocrite and neither he nor my ex stepmother locked doors, either. My sister and I did always argue for privacy nonetheless !
Start Wearing Purple 7 months ago
My kids started closing their bedroom door sometimes while playing at about 5 years old. I always knock and ask if I can come in. I think as soon as a kid shows the need for privacy, they deserve it
Load More Replies... Tom De Paul 8 months ago
Again, I don't understand this. You admit you KNOW it won't happen. Why is that not enough? You are an adult, you know.
#21
When our father got home from work, we'd be sent to our rooms, sometimes until the time he left the next morning. He'd get home and not want to interact with us so we'd be sent off across the house, checked on occasionally, spanked or yelled at if we got too loud. Luckily I had my older brother, but it got lonely. And it was better than being around him because he was mean and aggressive. He once left black and blue belt stripes across my brother's back, because he was caught jumping on the bed again. When I was 2 or 3 he put me in time out, facing the corner. Then he fell asleep and hours later I wandered off to go play. He woke up and got angry I left, so he busted into my room, grabbed me by the ankle and lifted me upside down to administer a (thankfully brief) beating. When he'd call us out of our room, he'd scream our names and we were so scared he was going to yell at us or hit us. So. The rule was, when Dad gets home, go to your room.
Michelle C 8 months ago
My earliest memories were at those ages. Children do remember formative experiences like that, whether those formative experiences are positive or negative.
Load More Replies... LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
A horrific and/or abus!ve childhood is never an excuse for abus!ng one's own children. "Break the cycle" is a phrase for a reason.
Load More Replies... #22
I couldn’t listen to modern music bc it was all “inappropriate.” It turns out, my parents, mainly my mom, was just lowkey racist. She forced us to listen to her music which was all about s*x and d***s, but all done by white people.
BrownEyedGrrl 8 months ago
Oh no. We were allowed to listen to ANY music. Probably why my playlists are eclectic. Dolly Parton to NIN.
#23
I have two i havent seen mentioned:
1. You must wake up at 6am, regardless of day, and would be punished if you failed. I often did fail as i had undiagnosed adhd at the time, and it led to frequent arguments. They said it was to 'prepare me for the adult world'. I now dont wake up even close to that early for my actual adult job.
2. I was not allowed to interact with males, as they were worried about me getting into a relationship while i was still in school. As a result, my closest relationships growing up were with other women, and now i am gay.
Ace 8 months ago
I think that most people in the world of psych...y nowadays accept that sexual preferences are affected by experiences growing up, not just something inherent from birth, which was a position taken by gay activists for quite a long period. Yes, of course no-one's going to suggest that only socialising with the same s*x will automatically make you attracted to them, but nor is it irrelevant.
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nottheactualphoto 8 months ago
I suspect you might have been gay all along. Post hoc and all that.
Tom De Paul 8 months ago
You might want to learn the difference between correlation and causation. Most fast cars have leather seats; it's not the leather seats that make them fast. And anyway, wouldn't your parents prohibitions be more likely to make you hyper-sexually heterosexual because that's what was forbidden?
Eric Ledger 8 months ago
One scene in episode 15 of Lucky Star would back up #1, with Tsukasa expressing tiredness on her and Kagami's way to school, which Kagami points out has to do with her early-established habit of sleeping until midday before she collapses en route. Keep in mind that this was their first day back at school right after the two-week interlude between school years, even though kids in Japan do have much longer vacations in-between same-year trimesters.
#24
When we were little and the Avon Lady would come knocking on our door, my mom would tell us to be very quiet and to not make a noise because it's the mean Avon Lady and she has a gun. Lol.
We totally believed her, and it wasn't until I was in the 8th grade that we moved, and my little sister's friend's dad would sell Avon at swap meets. We asked if he had a gun, and her friend looked so confused. Lol. We figured then that my mom was just telling us a story to make sure we were quiet so she didn't have to open the door and deal with the Avon Lady.
It is still one of the silliest memories of my childhood, and up until my mom passed away 4 years ago, we would give her such a hard time for it. Her response was always "well it got uou to be quiet, and she always went away."
I don't know if it's really a rule, but maybe it was. We were never to answer the door to those women.
I miss my mom so much.
Edit: spelling.
Andrew Keir 7 months ago
All of this might have gone better if OP's mother had had the courage to tell the Avon Lady that 'she wasn't interested'. It's like other unwanted callers - once you've told them (politely, the first time) that they're not wanted, they mostly don't return. Usually even works with religious advocates.
Felicia Jones 5 months ago
Nah they used to just come back a few months later.. its the same w religious people.. ive been trying to get rid of them for quite years since we moved.. only thing that seems to work is my fiance opening the door. He's always polite but its like they are terrified of him lol been pretty quiet lately lol so maybe they gave up
Load More Replies... #25
Can only wear jeans once a week. Cannot change at school by hiding jeans in your backpack. Mom will come and check and make you change.
No black eyeliner, you will become a w***e if you wear black eyeliner.
No crying in public, you will be an embarrassment to the family.
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
My mum always made sure to tell us it's fine to cry in public (especially when my brothers were in palliative care etc) but it's something I've never gotten over the stigma of. I 100% agree that you should never be ashamed of crying and give that as advice to others, but I've never been comfortable doing it myself.
N.C. O'Brien 7 months ago
Never understood why boys were never to cry. Now there are a lot of angry males going around the place (suspect suppressed sadness in many cases)
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Acacio Lima 7 months ago
My older sisters were not allowed to wear pants, only dresses. They would buy and hide pants at a friend's house. They would only wear them on occasions when our father was not around.
#26
My parents would check my and my brother’s teeth for 'sugar bugs' every night after we brushed our teeth, before we got in bed. If they thought we were trying to skip brushing our teeth, they would tell us they could see the sugar bugs and would make us go brush again.
My brother and I were so convinced these sugar bugs were real, we would constantly ask when we’d be able to see them. My parents always told us only people 13 and older could see them, but by the time we got to be 13, we had completely forgotten about the sugar bugs in our teeth.
Anthony Elmore 8 months ago
I can't believe I'm saying this: Please do not tell your children that bugs inhabit their teeth. I'm still not comfortable with the unfortunate reality of microscopic mites using my face as a s**y getaway at night, please don't inflict this on children so young.
Load More Replies... Ruth Watry 8 months ago
There used to be a chew where it would show red in every part of your mouth not "properly" brushed. We had to use it nightly
N.C. O'Brien 7 months ago
Dad was a dentist so he gave us those tablets after we brushed our teeth. They were a great way to learn and once we got the hang of doing it we no longer needed the tablet
Load More Replies... #27
We were only allowed to eat candy on Sundays. Then my sister ate a s**t ton of candy on Sunday and threw up everywhere.
Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
Small piece each day would be better than gorging on loads of sweets on Sunday
Kalikima 8 months ago
My son gets dessert once a day, after dinner. Occasionally he'll get something throughout the day, I'm not stone cold, but usually it's just after dinner. He's cool with that, never fights me on it if he asks and I say no, usually cuz I give him a good reason, and he's very lean with no dental problems.
Load More Replies... Michelle C 8 months ago (edited)
That one made sense for my family because my mom was several children and sweets were meant to be regarded as treats rather than as everyday items. We do eat dark chocolate pretty much every day, though, both for reasons of health and taste.
#28
I wasn’t allowed to play dungeon and dragons but Harry Potter was okay.
DeShotz 8 months ago
It wouldn't be a BP article without some stock image fails.
Load More Replies... Andrew Keir 7 months ago
And you expect movies to be real? Superheroes, anyone ?
Load More Replies... #29
"Never talk to anyone about what happens in this house.".
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
I got that one too XD One time I told my teacher at school that my mom had pressed a gun to my throat and had said she would k!ll me and my sister if my dad went on an upcoming business trip (he worked for IBM at that time.) It scared me badly enough that I thought my mom really WOULD k!ll me. When the teacher called in a conference with my mother and the principal of the school, my mom laughed it off and said I'd watched a cowboy movie the night prior and there had been guns in the movie, so CLEARLY I was just confabulating the movie with reality. The teacher and principal believed her. She beat me with wooden cooking utensils and her fists for nearly an hour once we got back home for "tattling" on what went on in our house. I was 6. I never told another adult about how my mother abused me.
cerinamroth 8 months ago
Yes, this one's ringing bells with me too. We're just a normal family. These things happen. No one wants to know about it, and if they find out you will be taken away.
Ruth Watry 8 months ago
When I was an adult and shared stories with my cousins, they couldn't believe it
Michelle C 8 months ago
That sounds familiar; Dad. As far as my paternal grandfather and, later, my dad were concerned, there were certain things we didn’t discuss; they had an image to maintain. It’s a shame, really, and I pray for my dad that he will repent before it is too late.
Economy 8 months ago
Unlikely, as the abuse book Why Does He Do That? elaborates the motives behind: Everything he did was born from a sense of entitlement. Just don't ever talk to him again.
Load More Replies... #30
We weren't allowed to sleep late. even on weekends. It was awful.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
I wish my kids would sleep late. But nope, both of them (12 and 6) take after my mom and grandpa and are up by 6am no matter what 🤦♀️
Kalikima 8 months ago
Same with my son, always has been. It was héll when I was working nights, but now sometimes I'm up earlier than he is, and he's still up by 5am most days.
Load More Replies... Economy 8 months ago (edited)
One scene in episode 15 of Lucky Star would back this up, with Tsukasa expressing tiredness on her and Kagami's way to school, which Kagami points out has to do with her early-established habit of sleeping until midday before she collapses en route. Keep in mind that this was their first day back at school right after the two-week interlude between school years, even though kids in Japan do have much longer vacations in-between same-year trimesters.
Upstaged75 8 months ago
We had that too, but it was because my little brother wouldn't stay in bed. He'd start around 3:30 asking me if it was time to get up yet. What's funny is that his son now does the same thing and my brother gets so annoyed. :) Last year my nephew snuck downstairs at 4am and looked in all the gift bags, then tried to make it look like he hadn't touched anything. Little stinker. My mom banned gift bags for next year.
Load More Replies... #31
Not mine but my mom says my grandma used to make them take off all their clothes except the underwear at the corridor as soon as they got home. We suspect she had untreated OCD lol.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
Were they at least allowed to put on "inside"/house clothes after that, or did they have to stay nearly naked? O_O
Tommy DePaul 6 months ago
Or some strange sexual compulsion. Very under diagnosed/reported with female offenders.
#32
Butt and booty were treated as bad words.
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
It's a bit tricky as a teacher because all parents have different rules about what is and isn't a swear word. Like shut up for example. Then kids argue about whether it's a swear word or not.
Chris Jones 8 months ago
I'd have thought that saying 'shut up' was being rude, while a swear word is by itself rude... 🤷 Either way, not what you want your children doing as a general rule!! 😃
Load More Replies... Brandi VanSteenwyk 8 months ago
Oh yes!! In Utah here, BUTT was not permitted. It had to be B*M.
Economy 8 months ago (edited)
My own parents considered "butt" a rude word when I was 11. One time, this kid whose parents sent him over to us to watch over each morning before school, started dancing Pinky the Flamingo (a Beanie Baby) and singing this line "I've got a big butt" over and over while my mother was on the phone; upon getting off, she's like "That's enough rude-talk," but that was something I found funny and copied from him for at least the following summer.
Anna Drever 8 months ago
My father didn’t like us using the word ‘stuff’, as in stuff it. Because he ‘knew’ what we REALLY meant. Apparently. Fortunately he got over that. I mean to say you have to have alternative words because if the alternative words are also swear words what have you got left? 🤷🏻♀️
BookFanatic 8 months ago
LoL My mother had me convinced "Shut up" was the worst swear word ever. I was five and stupid. If I told her to shut up, I'd have to suck on a bar of soap or go to my room.
#33
Wasn’t allowed to go to the bathroom after I went to bed … my parents were a*****e.
#34
Having to change clothes (ex: shorts or tank tops) when relatives or family friends came over, so that the men/boys "wouldn't look".
The Other Guest 8 months ago
A) Shorts & tank tops are not immodest. B) If the male friends/family members are sexualizing kids in shorts, THEY are the problem, not what the kids are wearing. C) Making little girls feel responsible for the thoughts/actions of men is all kinds of fukked up.
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#35
We had to be quiet, including turning off the TV when dad came home.
#36
We weren't allowed to refer to either parent as "he" or "she." Had to be "Mom" or "Dad" or acceptable variations.
Damned_Cat 8 months ago
A childhood friend of mine was only allowed to call his parent "mother" and "father". His parents felt that it was disrespectful and low class to use nicknames like "mom/mommy" or 'dad/daddy".
Nicole Weymann 8 months ago (edited)
I've been calling my parents by their first names since kindergarten. Never realized just how unusual that sounds after nearly out of my teens, and they never minded (I'm not adopted or anything similar). Even at 23 I got cuffed occasionally by an elderly acquaintance for being "disrespectful" for that (which is quite the take from someone physically "educating" an adult they see about four times a year). As far as I remember my kindergarten-self's reasoning was that calling "Mama/Papa" in a crowded environment may make most people turn their heads, but their names will get the *right* people's attention immediately.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 8 months ago
"She is the cat's mother" We didn't really have this rule, but my grandparents and parents would always say this if we called mum she. My sister extended on this when she was about 7 because her nickname was Cat, so she would always answer "yes she is my mum".
Tim Douglass 8 months ago
I had a friend when I was young who had to address his parents as "Mr." and "Mrs." Doe. No "mom" or "dad", and heaven forfend he ever used their given names! Very strange and very formal, but they always seemed to be sufficiently warm and loving parents from my perspective at any rate.
BookFanatic 8 months ago (edited)
I don't remember this, but I guess when I was quite small I learned that Daddy had another name besides "Daddy." Mom asked me to tell Daddy to come in for dinner and I hollered "(Dad's first name) (Dad's middle name) (our last name)! Mommy says dinner!!" Dinner was delayed until my parents could stop laughing long enough to explain why that was inappropriate.
Foxglove🇮🇪 8 months ago
My 16 year old son started calling his dad by his first name when he was 13 or 14, I remained mammy until about a year ago but now he calls us both by our first names. Daughter is nearly 20 and still calls us mammy and daddy!
#37
Shut up was a swear word in our house.
If we asked our parents if our friends could hang out in front of said friend, answer was immediately no.
I had to ask to have a sleepover with a friend 7 days in advance. Anything less than that was immediately no.
Doors were locked at 830pm. If we tried to come home after that, it was sleeping on the porch. We had a box on the porch that had pillows and blankets for this reason.
Was not allowed to sleep in later than 915 am on the weekends.
#38
Once you go to bed, you don’t go back downstairs for NOTHING lol.
Andrew Keir 7 months ago
Better still, abstain from refraining to avoid multiple double-bans
Load More Replies... #39
I had to share any food I brought home even if purchased with my own money. My mom didn't cook or keep food at home but ate out every morning.
Tempest 8 months ago
Not a rule but a habit I had as a kid was to share any food I got from friends/school with my entire family. It was common for kids to bring a cake to school on their birthday and share with the entire class. I would try to ask for a second piece if there was any excess but if not I’ll save the piece I was given to take it home. Once home this single piece of cake would be cut into equal portions for all of my family, including for my grandma who didn’t live with us. I would insist that this be done every time. My mom would save grandma’s share and give her when we visited her. At times she would receive tiny pieces of different cake slices. She was always so excited about this but now as an adult I would personally not like to eat days old cake like that. And no we weren’t too poor to afford cakes by ourselves. It’s just that I really wanted to share what I received. I was a weird kid!
Tom De Paul 8 months ago
But in keeping with the title of the article, do you now enforce that as a rule for your children?
Load More Replies... #40
We were never ever allowed in their bedroom not even if we were sick or scared. We would stand at the open door and yell for them.
Ruth Watry 8 months ago
I vomited on the carpet outside of my parent's bedroom for this reason
#41
Um, we weren't really allowed to lock the bathroom door. It wasn't a rule, we just didn't. We only had one bathroom, there were 5 of us. It was fairly rare to be able to bathe or shower without someone else needing to use the bathroom. In the mornings, my sister would be doing her hair in front of the sink, while someone was in the shower and then someone else would come in to use the toilet or grab laundry (we left it all in a pile on the floor). The bathroom was big enough for all of this.
Also, my mom was a naked mom. And I think she hated folding laundry. We had clean clothes, but they were all in a huge laundry basket in the pantry, which was at the other end of the house from the bathroom and bedrooms. So we all made partially clothed dashes down the hall, through the kitchen to the pantry to find clothes.
Shockingly, I have no trouble using the toilet in front of anyone and talking to them at the same time or vice versa. It has been commented on (positively?) in my last few relationships. It also came in very handy having kids because they seem to know I sat down and barge in to ask me something. I am also really comfortable naked but no one I've dated has complained about that one, either.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago (edited)
Both of my parents also would walk around naked before/after a shower, or when they were in the middle of changing clothes, etc. Nudity wasn't a taboo/"GASP! omg!" thing in my house. No one called attention to it, it was just... there. I knew what dude-bits looked like from a very young age XD It didn't traumatize me or anything, and may have actually helped steel me/prepare me for being my dad's caregiver after his accident when I was 18. He had catastrophic brain damage, was bedridden, and had to wear diapers 24/7. I had no problems changing his diaper, cleaning him up, or trying to get him to use the urinal. We also weren't allowed to close the bathroom door ever, so it was common for someone to come in to use the mirror/etc. while I was using the toilet or showering XD
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
Nudity isn't a big deal at my house either. We have a clothing optional rule for the family, unless we have company. Then clothing is mandatory!
Load More Replies... Brandi VanSteenwyk 8 months ago
I requested that my kids leave the door unlocked "just in case" they slipped, fell, or needed some kind of help where they couldn't reach the door. Momma could rush in and save them.
Chris Jones 8 months ago
I fell in the shower and injured myself when I lived at home - was a teen. Mum was banging on the door asking 'are you alright' and I was winded so could only croak! So, definitely not a bad idea, as long as any privacy they want is respected. Another time the lock broke on the loo door - which is literally all there was in this tiny room, just the loo. Tiny window that didn't open and was too small for a child to get through anyway... Had to bellow my head off to get attention and my dad had to take the lock off the door!! So, I'm not a door-locker today.
Load More Replies... #42
No swimming for two hours after eating because “you will get a stomach cramp”.
Damned_Cat 8 months ago
Everybody's parents said that. Many people still believe it's true even though there is no medical evidence that it is.
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
It was in the red cross first aid book for decades.
Load More Replies... Little Bit 8 months ago
I was always told this too. It made me question why, at school, we had our swimming lesson straight after lunch. I can't remember if I ever got an answer.
Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
It was 1 hour in our house but that was OK because it took about 45 minutes to walk to the pool anyways
#43
Had to call every adult by their last name “Mr….” And “Mrs…” even when they wanted to be called by their first name. Wanting me to call someone by their last name when they were 28 years old and I was 12 and it went against their wishes to be called “Sam” blows my mind and undermines the other adults.
Little Bit 8 months ago
I think this is a generational thing. When I was growing up, I always addressed anyone outside of the family as Mr or Mrs. I just thought it was polite and courteous.
Scott Rackley 8 months ago
Same. Also, respond with sir or ma'am. Doctors were always referred to as Dr. Lastname instead of Mr. I do it to this day, it's just manners.
Load More Replies... Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
I'm a boomer and this was never a formal thing, it depended on the person. Close family friends were always called by first name. My parents would ask other adults. A friend asked me how her son should address me, and I told her first name is fine.
V 8 months ago
If I am going to refer to a child by their first name I have no problem with them calling me by my first name. But a lot of the teens around here just call me Aunty.
Load More Replies... Foxglove🇮🇪 8 months ago
When I was a child all my friends parents were Mr and Mrs. My kids' friends parents are all first names. My daughter keeps in touch with a couple of her secondary school teachers and while she is now allowed to use their first names "it feels weird" so she calls them sir and miss!
BookFanatic 8 months ago
As a teenager, I once asked my mother how old I'd have to be before I could automatically call adults by their first names. She said anyone my age or younger could be First Name. Anyone older is Mr/Ms/Whatever last name unless give permission. I still do that and I'm 46. Lol
#44
We couldn’t talk while at the dinner table……. That’s why me and my siblings are fast eaters-5 min. or less. It has definitely messed with my ability to sense if Im full. I can binge eat like no one else in my life. My husband can finish 3/4 of his food and “be full” and I can eat mine and finish his plate and est the rest of the sides … it’s terrible.
Damned_Cat 8 months ago
One friend had parents who said that the dinner table was for grownups only and children always had to eat in the kitchen even on holidays. She usually had to eat her dinner before dad got home from work too. It was always so weird to eat dinner at her house, get sent home immediately after, and find my mom just starting to cook.
Little Bit 8 months ago
When I was dating my husband, I was invited to his house for dinner. What he forgot to mention was the 'no talking at the dinner table' rule. So there was my hubby and his brother eating like it was a race and there was I chattering away like a little bird, while all the time his dad kept glaring at me. After dinner his dad pulled me to one side and snarled, "Meal times are for eating, not for talking." Even now my hubby eats like its a race. He's often finished his meal before I've even put the sauce on my mine.
#45
We had an entire sitting room in the house and NOONE WAS ALLOWED TO USE IT.
Little Bit 8 months ago
This was quite normal and in the UK it used to be called the parlour. It was basically the room which had all the best furniture, carpets, ornaments etc and was only ever used on special occasions and at Christmas. It was a privilege to be allowed into that room as a kid and there was absolutely no eating, drinking or shoes.
Nicole Weymann 8 months ago
Yupp, the "gute Stube" (good sitting room) of old in German. In hindsight and with today's living conditions it seems strange to keep one room "on standby" for important visitors, or special occasions, but in my grandparents' generation (and earlier, of course) it still was a thing, a matter of pride like the good set of china.
Load More Replies... #46
One of my cousins parents had this thing called “grownup candy” which was basically candy that they drilled into their heads since they were young was only for grownups (it was the parent’s favorite candy too, lmao) kind of like alcohol.
She was sixteen when she figured out almond joys were consumable for children.
#47
Our dogs were allowed on the couch but we weren’t until my dad moved out when I was almost 16. Lots of other crazy s**t too ofc but that one is kinda funny.
#48
That I had to “show respect” by hugging relatives.
BookFanatic 8 months ago
Ugh. I've annoyed people by telling their kids they don't have to hug me. Like, they've met me maybe 2x in their short lives. I wouldn't even do that to people I barely know.
#49
DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE WALLS.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
I get this one. Kids (especially young kids) can have seriously sticky fingers and I don't want to clean the walls every day!
#50
Can’t go out on school nights. Everyone was hanging out constantly.
#51
We always had to wash our feet....oh the good old days when we run around barefoot day and night.
Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
Oh the good old days when I asked my dad for a 50 pound pair of runners and I was told, in MY day we walked to school with no shoes and we only wore shoes going to mass on sundays
The Other Guest 8 months ago
I must need more coffee; took me a second to realize "pound" referred to money, not weight LOL.
Load More Replies... #53
If I called someone I was only allowed to let the phone ring 4 times then I had to hang up.
Ace 8 months ago
When I was a kid there was a three-ring rule, so that anyone going somewhere could ring then hang up after three rings to let people know they'd arrived OK. This was when phone calls were expensive, and also allowed use of pubic phones if appropriate without the need for cash. The latter, though, we would also use if we needed picking up from somewhere, dial the operator and ask for a "return charges" call home, who would then be given the option of refusing it, which they often would if you'd made an arrangement.
The Other Guest 8 months ago
My first boyfriend had a "code name" with his mom if he was going on a road trip or anything like that. He'd call her collect; if all was well, he'd use the name "Bernie" and she'd refuse the call. If he wanted/needed to talk, he'd use his real name and she'd accept it. Worked out really well - she didn't worry, and neither of them had to pay for a long-distance call.
Load More Replies... #54
We couldn’t laugh at the table. We were immediately dismissed to our rooms.
#56
If mom's bedroom door is closed.. DO NOT KNOCK! DO NOT OPEN! If one of us has a severed arm.. ask yourself.. do you really need to knock on her door? Maybe it wasn't a "rule" per se. But we knew the rule.
#57
The current weird rule here is NO FOOD IN THE LIVING ROOM. Our kids sit in the foyer with their snack food. Adult friends follow the rules too until the kids go to bed. Saves me from digging crumbs out of the couch, and it's way easier mopping spills on tile than from carpet.
I remember the first time I ate in the living room as a kid. It was liberating.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
I have a no food upstairs rule for the same reason. I've bent it on occasion for special things like a birthday sleepover, but generally speaking, no food upstairs.
#58
Had to drink two full glasses of milk before being allowed one cup of diet Coke.
The room at the top of the stairs with the short door was the Monster Room and I wasn't allowed to open the door. (It was just a storage closet, there wasn't even anything interesting inside).
Mrs Irish Mom 8 months ago
All that milk and coke sploshing around in the stomach would make ya sick
Ace 8 months ago
I assumed the reason was that they hoped after 2 glasses of milk they would no longer want the coke.
Load More Replies... #59
Don’t talk to the cops.
BookFanatic 8 months ago
The older I get, the more I learn...that's not an absolutely terrible rule, actually.
Load More Replies... #60
I thought it was normal to not have a door to your room
I got my door taken off when I was 10, got it back when I was 13.
BookFanatic 8 months ago
I wonder if OP had to "earn" things back. A friend's teen lost everything except a mattress, pillow, and blanket. She had to do chores, cook, clean, spend time with parents, in order to get everything back.
#61
No elbows on the dinner table while there are eating. Then I went to other peoples house….
Anthony Elmore 8 months ago
This is more of general etiquette than a weird parental rule. Outdated and really stupid, but technically still general etiquette.
BookFanatic 8 months ago
Mabel Mabel strong and able, get those elbows off that table! Also, no rocking the chair back. Dad trained me out of that real quick when he flipped it over (and caught me safely before I got hurt).
#62
I was not allowed to flip coins. It had something to do with how flipping coins in public made you look like an old timey gangster or something. This was back in the 90s too.
Huddo's sister 8 months ago
Australians have a whole day where they flip coins (not the main part of the day). On ANZAC day people often play 'two up', though some places banned it this year.
#63
We weren’t allowed to help ourselves to snacks and if we had lunch depended on which parent was home and the mood they were in.
Child of the Stars 8 months ago
This just seems so odd to me unless we're talking about poverty. I buy snacks that my kids can specifically get on their own. String cheese, yogurt, fruit, that sort of thing.
V 8 months ago
My mum did one shop a week, we were allowed to help ourselves to snacks, but if we ran out before the next shopping day we were out of luck for the rest of the week.
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#65
If we were ever trying to promise we were telling the truth and said 'I swear' my mom would say 'Don't swear!' It drove me crazy. That's not what they mean when people say swearing is bad. Her first language is English too so to this day I don't get it but she was weirdly particular about a lot of stuff.
What do you think ?
Rick Murray 8 months ago
My mother refused to let me go to local discos and parties, primarily because they ended up with a lot of drunk 12 year olds due to some irresponsible parenting. Given what happened during the parties and how many of those kids grew up to make terrible (and in some cases fatal) life decisions - gee, who'd have thought that getting a bunch of children drunk every weekend would be a bad thing? 🤦🏻♀️
Gingersnap In Iowa 8 months ago
Laundry day was Friday. If you wanted to wear a certain outfit you had to plan ahead bc laundry was only done on Friday.
Michelle C 8 months ago
Some of these were reasonable and the rest were ridiculous or a*****e from what I could see.
Rick Murray 8 months ago
My mother refused to let me go to local discos and parties, primarily because they ended up with a lot of drunk 12 year olds due to some irresponsible parenting. Given what happened during the parties and how many of those kids grew up to make terrible (and in some cases fatal) life decisions - gee, who'd have thought that getting a bunch of children drunk every weekend would be a bad thing? 🤦🏻♀️
Gingersnap In Iowa 8 months ago
Laundry day was Friday. If you wanted to wear a certain outfit you had to plan ahead bc laundry was only done on Friday.
Michelle C 8 months ago
Some of these were reasonable and the rest were ridiculous or a*****e from what I could see.
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