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“What Is The Weirdest Rule You Had To Follow While A Guest At Someone’s House?” (40 Answers)
Visiting a friend as a child could be a mixed bag, on the one hand, you get to hang out with your pals, on the other hand, you might have to deal with their strange family. Sure, as a kid, many things seem strange the first time you encounter them, but some might be so unusual that you still remember them into adulthood.
One internet user wanted to hear others’ stories about unusual or downright weird house rules they encountered when visiting someone. So get comfortable, hopefully in the safety of your own home, and be sure to upvote your favorites and share any other unusual rules you may have encountered out there.
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#1
I always thought my family were the weird ones when I was a kid. In our house, it was always the land of "do as you please". We did our own dishes, laundry, cleaning, maintenance, sewing, medical care, etc. My parents were busy farming or going to grad school so they didn't have time for parenting. Everyone else's house had bizarre strict rules. No mixing ketchup and mustard! Two feet on the ground at all times! No humming! Plates must be rinsed with tepid water only, hot or cold will kill baby Jesus! Bed making rules that were military. Monitored usage of soap (too little or too much was punished). These are amalgams of a variety of friends parents. Who the hell has time to be so concerned about such minor things? I've got two kids 11 and 10. As far as I'm concerned, if they're not dead by bedtime, I'm doing pretty good. Just because I like dishes to be put away in a certain manner, isn't a reason to send a kid to bed without supper at 4 O'Clock. My hangups shouldn't be forced upon them.
StrangeOne 2 years ago
Ever wonder if some of these rules are made purposely and knowingly that they will be broken just so the parents have an excuse to take their frustrations and bad days out on their kids?
Tee Rat 2 years ago
The parents from two houses across the street from me were completely opposite when it came to parenting. The left house had a battle Karen who treated her kids like employees. The right side had a couple of hippies who lived in San Francisco during the late 60's. Their son to this day is still the most chill person I've ever met.
Shyla Bouche 2 years ago
What on earth was Baby Jesus doing, sitting on plates someone was trying to wash? That's just rude.
T'Mar of Vulcan 2 years ago
My parents were pretty similar. You want a glass of coke? Go ahead. Snack? Sure. Want to play in the street? (We lived in a new suburb with sand roads and you could see cars coming miles away.) Go ahead. Want to sleep with the light on? What do I care. You dropped a glass? DON'T STAND ON IT WITH YOUR BARE FEET! I'LL CLEAN IT!! Don't get upset - it was just an accident. Etc.
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
It's very much the same in my house, I'm not gonna lose my s**t with my kids because they made a mess. Would it be nice if they liked helping out without either being bribed or forced into it, sure, but more so they know how to look after themselves when they're out on their own than to pander to me. I always saying parenting is a matter of picking your battles, some things I just don't see the point making a fuss over, other things I'm much more likely to maintain a level of acceptable behaviour like when it comes to manners and treating their siblings fairly - being a decent human being is much more important to me than being perfectly behaved so I try to focus on teaching my children this
Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
As long as you had basic consideration and didn't trash the place, this sounds like a great way to learn to be self-sufficient. My mum was from a huge family where the older ones, plus assorted cousins,aunts and uncles, all mucked in with bringing up the you her ones. She sometimes felt she didn't get much attention from her mother, but they all turned out polite, kind and very capable in many skills.
That Goth Demon (zey/zem) 2 years ago
"hot or cold water will kill baby Jesus" if one of the poor kids of this house was LGBTQIA+, they'd be sent to a 'pray away the gay' camp 😭😭😭
RELATED:
#2
I went round my new friends house for dinner one night and then the plan was to go and see Return of the King at the cinema.
Ate food, chatting to him and his family, everything was normal.
Then the time came to go to the cinema.
And his family said to me “would you mind taking Gandalf?”
“..... uhh what?”
Turns out they had a 6 foot cardboard cut out of Gandalf upstairs and they had taken him to the first two LOTR movies and it had become a tradition. So I go upstairs, find the massive cardboard cutout, struggle to drag him down the stairs, at this point the family are in the car waiting for me. I mutter to myself thinking how the hell is this gonna fit in the car. I drag Gandalf to the car and open the door and they’re all laughing their asses off at me.
There was no tradition. They were just teasing me.
A B C the Third 2 years ago
BP authors tend to forget what list they're composing when they're halfways through. Guess they started a bit earlier this time.
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David Wambold 2 years ago
I would put him in front of the bathroom door when using and put a post-it note on. "You shall not pass"
#3
Repost from a previous comment I made.
They had a Cuckoo clock they called the "Prayer clock". The clock had the 12 disciples for the numbers on dial, I never knew what came out of the clock on the hour (probably Jesus). But every single hour that clock would go off. My friends mother would round up all the kids and make us write thank you prayers and place them in the "Prayer jar". We had to write down thank you notes to Jesus for everything we did in the last hour, then place them in the jar. If we were playing with LEGOS, and had a snack I would have to write down "Thank you Jesus, for letting me play LEGOS and eating string cheese". His mom would read them and usually would have us edit them, with changes like "you had apple juice too, you don't think Jesus would be sad if you didn't thank him for the apple juice as well?"
Yeah that was the weirdest rule at a guests house ever for me.
Lea Panthera 2 years ago
"You breathed, too. Don't you think Jesus would be sad if you didn't thank him for letting you breathe as well?"
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StrangeOne 2 years ago
I would be pretty pissed if that level of worship was shoved onto my kid.
LadyJaye(she/they) 2 years ago
I'm now just imaganing cuckoo clock jesus and what that would entail
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
Do you think he says “cuckoo” when he pops out, or “bless you” or “hallelujah” or something instead? XD
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Ken Beattie 2 years ago
Pretty tough to do if you're a little kid. Chances are they thought it was weird, but hey "adults make the rules so you do what they say". Wonder if they ever told their parents about it though?
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Cammy Mack 2 years ago
Jesus would not thank himself, he would thank his father - and would not condone the above.
Jigsaw's Puzzle 2 years ago
Honestly I don’t think Jesus would care if you ate string cheese and apple juice.
Most of the rules here fall into the category of absurd pretty easily. But there are always certain cultural elements that can inform the origins of one rule or another. A classic example would be the unspoken but very important rule to take off one’s shoes when entering a home in Japan. Culturally, they place importance on the division of outside and inside, so the guest shows respect by, well, respecting this border.
This is why, upon entrance, many Japanese homes have a tatami mat for where you should place your shoes. This area is often referred to as a genkan. If you are very worried about offending your Japanese host, be on the lookout for a shoe rack or other storage options. As a rule of thumb, the location will be very close to the entrance. While this rule doesn’t seem that absurd, after all, in much of the world people remove their shoes, it does demonstrate how such a simple concept can become important in the right context.
#4
No beverages with or before dinner. Everyone had to have cleared their plates before any beverage was served.
Salty dry food served with no water is bloody torture when you are a kid.
Dee kenny 2 years ago
Then it must be a miracle that I yet haven't had a choking incident from not having any drink with my meals.
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A. HAM 2 years ago
We weren’t allowed a beverage during, or just before/just after meals. My mom believed the liquid would dilute stomach acids and make digestion impossible. Also, we weren’t allowed to mix sweets with proteins, or proteins with carbohydrates. My mom believed the stomach produced different acids for each, and if they mixed, they would cancel each other out. Again making digestion impossible.
Ru Bee 2 years ago
Oh my god, I gather your mum failed biology in year 10, because all of this is simple GCSE stuff. You have my sympathy 😔
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Anga 2 years ago (edited)
In my school when I was 7, we were not allowed to drink water with soup, because soup is liquid. Also we were not allowed to leave the table until we eat everything on our plate. We had to sit in front of our plates trying to eat food we hate, alone in the lunch room while our friends were on recess, until class start in the afternoon.
Mysteria 2 years ago
I misread soup as soap and was like “Okay that’s common sense??!!”
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Team Jay 2 years ago
My grandmother always made a big deal that she couldn't drink during a meal because she had a hiatal hernia. I was diagnosed with the same thing as an adult and said to my doc that I guess I'd have to stop drinking during meals. He looked at me like I was crazy when I explained about my grandmother then he politely said that was nonsense. I never had the heart to tell my grandmother.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago
My partners parents do this and even now (he’s 41) they get annoyed at me every night cos I have dinner with a glass of milk 😆
Ash Conner 2 years ago
This lady was doing that to a student during lunch time in elementary school. I knew that this was completely wrong and never understood why she felt like she had to do this. I did know that she was doing it upon appearance request. I believe in respecting parents wishes but not at that level. The parent thought that he would drink all of his milk and get full before the meal was done. Give the damn kid water. Common Sense people
Delta Dawn 2 years ago
Me too. I have a condition that means I don’t make much saliva. If it’s at all dry or salty I have to drink something with it.
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Jaithesaint 2 years ago
My religious bff had a family like this. Plus I starved with such tiny portions lol
#5
Not weirdest, but scariest; do NOT speak to the man of the house. Ever. If you did, the man would ignore you. The family would pay the price afterwards.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
According to the Reddit post it was a friend, and the "man of the house" died a long time ago in a single car accident and the family is doing really well. So that is good {all of these were taken off of Reddit. A lot of the writer here just copy and paste stuff from there. The only time it is actual BP people is in articles that start like "Hey Pandas, tell us about a time you (full in the blank)"}
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Seb Benson 2 years ago
That's a whole lotta nope and pass me the phone so I can call the authorities...
Michelle C 2 years ago (edited)
That the family would pay the price afterwards, is a clear sign of emotional and mental abuse at the least! I hope they got the help they needed….
Id row 2 years ago
The mom also gets her share of the blame for agreeing to subject her kids to this bullsh*t.
Lolly Gagger 2 years ago
Living in a domestic violence relationship is complex and traumatic. These abusers can be so manipulative and scary (“You leave me and I’ll hunt you down and kill the kids in front of you!”). Mum is also the victim, here - put your blame where it belongs, on the abuser.
Load More Replies... #6
When I was about 10, I ate dinner at a friend's house. She gulped her milk at the table. As a punishment, she had to finish her dinner in the bath tub. I was left alone at the dinner table with her parents scared to take a sip of my drink. So the rule was, no gulping milk. She had a ton of horrible rules. I didn't go over there often.
StrangeOne 2 years ago
Do parents just go on a power trip and make up rules for the sake of making up rules?
Seb Benson 2 years ago
Yeah, nah... that raises questions about that household, and none of them are good...
Phyllis Turbin 2 years ago
And they punished her like this in front of company. Think of what they do when no one's there . 😳
Isaac Harvey 2 years ago
What's the alternative? Not drinking anything, and eventually dying of dehydration?
Some rules and etiquette come from older cultural traditions and have simply lasted into the 21st century. In Afghanistan, if you drop your bread, it should be picked up, kissed, pressed to the forehead, and only then placed back on the table. It’s probably not a good idea to throw it away. Of course, in Afghanistan, as well as other countries, eating on the floor is very common, so make sure your feet, god forbid, do not touch the food.
#7
Having to have a bath in the tepid soiled bath water of my cousins. Auntie ran ONE bath and the four kids all used it from oldest to youngest, then ME. Always flatly refused the offer of a bath after that, I collected more gack from that bath than I washed off.
Liz Clarke 2 years ago
This is just called being poor, until I was a teenager (mid 2000s) my family would share bath water. We didn't have a lot of money and heating water is expensive. I typically had to last as I have thick long hair that sheds like crazy.
SkyBlueandBlack 2 years ago
Yeah, I had a friend in fifth grade whose family went overboard with that -- they did weekly "baths" which involved a sponge and a bucket. Yeah. Poor girl had just hit puberty, too. Imagine not having any friends because people can smell you coming. I hope things got better for her after that year.
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Puddletown 2 years ago
Most likely had a hot water tank and only enough water to run one bath. We had one when i was little, it wasn't unusual for one other to use the bath water, but not 5 😬.
Ru Bee 2 years ago
My mum chucked me and my sisters in the bath together ages 10, 8 and 3 is that weird? Genuine question. We used to wash little sisters hair for her. I never found it odd and mum could go away and do piles of laundry, cook dinner etc knowing we'd look after each other ...it was the 80s tbf.
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Chexmy Licks 2 years ago
honestly me and my parents do this, first my mom then me and then dad when its winter, we are poor
Carla Campbell 2 years ago
Gross. My brother did that to his stepchildren and his daughter, making his daughter "bathe" last. I'm glad he's dead.
Cathy Homan 2 years ago
A friend did this. Her parents and siblings had just come from Russia and it was the early 90s.
#8
I went to one of my friends house for dinner in elementary school. They were serving spaghetti and everyone had to take of their shirt. To include the Mom and teenage daughter. It was pretty awkward. The Dad and us boys were bare chested and the Mom and teenage daughter were in their bras.
Freelove 2 years ago
Why tf would you serve spaghetti on a night when you were having company? They couldn't just pick another meal to make!? I'm horrified.
Michael Largey 2 years ago (edited)
Elementary school students are often impromptu guests. The mother might not have known she was having company until after she started cooking. But it's still weird. I'd rather have spaghetti stains on my shirt than have hot sauce spraying on my bare chest. (The females were lucky to keep their bras!)
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GoGoPDX 2 years ago
Or, idk, everyone has a designated "spaghetti shirt" that is worn on spaghetti night?
Load More Replies... Ru Bee 2 years ago
When I was a teenage girl my dad had this rule when my friends came round....we always ate spaghetti for tea... Wait no, no he didn't cos he's not a perverted freak!...WTF did I just read.
Moo 2 years ago
I hated spaghetti night at my friend's house...I threw up on the plate once because I was sobbing because I didn't want to eat it. Turns out I have a tomato allergy
Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
Wtf!! Why couldn't you go home? Were they force feeding it to you? My dad forced me to eat canned spinach once and I threw up on the plate
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#9
When I was a teenager, I had a boyfriend whose family didn’t allow you to speak to their dog. If you did, they’d lock him in a tiny cage in the kitchen and put a sheet over it because he’d “get too excited.” All he did was sit next to you looking for a pat on the head.
Ken Beattie 2 years ago (edited)
Maybe not, it's possible it did get overexcited with too much attention. Some dogs will pee on the floor if they get too excited, some get nippy. It's possible they were just trying to prevent that happening. It's not unusual to crate a dog (or cat) for a variety of reasons and as long as it's not done for a long time it's not abuse. I feel like this needs a bit more information like was it caged for hours? Was it only at dinner time? For that matter what type of dog was it? Edit: google "crating dog when guests arrive" plenty of hits which explain why it's done.
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Spocks's Mom 2 years ago
God forbid the dog be happy. That's what excitement is in dogs. Happiness. Dogs are pack animals that enjoy being talked to and included. If you aren't doing these things, you aren't even worth the shít the dog took in your yard.
Some people shared their host's deep-seated hatred of farts. While they might be unpleasant, we all have stomachs, so it’s just a part of life. Very similarly, the burp should generally be suppressed when you are around other people, despite it being just as natural of a process. Unless you are in mainland China, where one should do it to let the hosts know you enjoyed the food. It is important to note that this is less common in Hong Kong, so always be aware of the variations in rules.
#10
I had a friend in high school whose parents had an all-white living room that they kept immaculately clean. They even kept plastic covers over the couch and chairs as if it were 1960. Anyway, their stairs were literally two steps from the entry hall but those two steps were through the living room which *nobody* was allowed to walk in except my friend's parents and their adult guests. So to get upstairs to her room we had to circle through her entire house to come around to the stairs from the other side. Her stepdad was a violent man so they were all too afraid to dare challenge the rule.
It wasn't terribly inconvenient but it was weird, especially when her mom was watching TV and we had to walk past her and that meant we had to stop for an awkward chat. Really that was the worst of it.
AndThenICommented 2 years ago
I get the off limits area (it’s nice to have at least 1 area that can stay clean and relaxing), I even get the engineering it so friend would have to chat with mom (it’s a way to keep in touch with your kids friends. Definitely a must, even if it feels awkward). However, the potential for violent punishment is the real concern here
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
Honestly, I never have understood this at all. My SIL is like this, but with her whole house. I have seen how hurt my nephews were when she refused to put up their art work, or their homemade decorations on the Christmas tree. For what? Well, as she says, "I have the nicest house in the street, and I like it" But to me, it is staged house for show, and not a home. Our house is also our child's house, and he is allowed to be in every room of it, and we put up his art, or some picture that is important to him. We keep it clean and picked up. But it is all of our home to live in as a family. And in the end, it is just walls, a roof and floor, and stuff. People are more important than any of that and feeling included and that you are welcome in any part of your own home is more important than a room to look or feel perfect
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David 2 years ago
Reminds me of my good friend's white carpet story. Short version - At the time her kids were very young. Is visiting 'T" who is her boss but also a friend. Rather nice house with white carpets. T gives my friend's toddler a chocolate cookie. No no! she warns her. She poo-poos it and says it will be fine. My friend assures her it won't. T ignores her. A few minutes later T looks horrified when she sees the black chocolate cookie crumbs all over her white carpet. An awkward I told you so moment ensues. She only made that mistake once.
Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
I had a friend whose mum was a real b***h, and abusive as hell. We were in our 20s, the mother and her new (very wealthy) husband had just bought a fabulous new house, and we were invited over. First up, we were shown the "mum's living room" with a gorgeous lemon yellow taffeta-covered sofa we were forbidden to even touch - like, 3 20 yos couldn't be trusted not to dirty it! Then we were shown other beautiful rooms before being relegated to the kitchen, and her tiny bedroom. Way to make guests feel welcome! We even heard her refer to us at one point as "your dirty little friends". Needless to say, we weren't invited back, nor did we ever want to see that horrible family again.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago (edited)
I half like these people, only because the op shops/thrift stores have lovely vintage couch sets because of these freaks when they pass. (I am also guilty of plastic covering furniture myself though)
Ash Conner 2 years ago
If I had a white living room let's just say after 10 minutes you wouldn't know that anything was white to begin with. LOL I wish the person's mother would have left that abuse of a******. That is not cool to have kids feel excluded in their own house
Old Roadie 2 years ago (edited)
Father's parents probably had a formal parlor and the father likely caught hell for playing in there as a kid. Carried that trauma forward. We also had a parlor used mostly for guests or holiday celebrations. Thing is, we could go in there to watch tv or do our trumpet and piano lessons. It was more formal than any other room but it was not off limits. Folks down the road were different. The wife was SAHM and not allowed to open the drapes because sunlight would fade the carpet.
StrangeOne 2 years ago
Every kid? Pfft. Only the rich ones. The average kid had one living room and maybe a recroom with a bar filled with pic-a-pop or something. But I don't recall ever not being allowed to walk in anyone's living room.
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#11
I stayed the night at a friends house once and her parents had a rule that you could only have three meals a day; breakfast, lunch dinner. They did not allow their kids, or others staying at their house, to have any snacks. I was 8 or 9 at the time and I remember it was around 3 or 4 pm and dinner wasn't going to be till 6 or 7 pm so I asked my friend if we could have a snack and her mom freaked out and started lecturing me how snacks are horrible and never allowed and that I'd have to wait till dinner. Super weird rule. I never went there again.
Annik Perrot 2 years ago
Well, when I was a kid, (in a normal, non-abusive family), no one ate outside the meals. We had breakfast, lunch, dinner(or supper, whatever you call it) and that was that. Kids had a mid-afternoon snack around 4, because in France the evening meal is not before 7, often later, but we weren't allowed to take food outside those times.
Id row 2 years ago
"No one ate outside the meals, except for a snack." Uh, you got a snack, unlike the poster here.
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Li’l E. 2 years ago
Way to give your kid an unhealthy relationship with food by teaching them to ignore their own hunger signals.
ShellsBells 2 years ago
I totally agree. I'm now more appreciative that my parents allowed me to have a snack or eat when I was hungry, even before a meal. Yet I'm not appreciative that they'd make me sit at the table and I couldn't leave until I ate my brussel sprouts, yuck!
Load More Replies... Ash Conner 2 years ago
It literally is mental abuse when you're a kid and adults freak out about something that's totally weird. This lady needs therapy
Terran 2 years ago
I don't see any problem with the rule itself, but there really is nothing to freak out about. Snacks before dinner weren't allowed usually, but when I had friends over my mom would usually allow us some snacks.
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meow point1 2 years ago
Imagine when the kids hit puberty! Because puberty means a growth spurt, and a growth spurt means a big appetite!
Terran 2 years ago
A big appetite can be satisfied without snacks, they aren't necessary, and if you aren't used to them in the first place, you won't miss them.
Load More Replies... Michelle C 2 years ago
I wonder if the mother grew up in an abusive or low-income home and was simply terrified of wasting food?
Tamra 2 years ago
There's absolutely nothing wrong with healthy, reasonable snacks. Children's bodies and brains are growing and developing, and they do not have the same nutritional needs as adults. Snacks like fruit, veggies, whole grain crackers, or even a bit of cheese can help keep them fueled for physical activity.
Load More Replies... #12
My aunt had decorative hand towels in the bathroom arranged in a way to make make Martha Stewart jealous. After washing my hands I tried to use them and got stabbed by pins. She booby trapped them so nobody would ever attempt to use them twice and mess up her towels. I have no idea how they dried their hands.
Amber.exe(She/They) 2 years ago
My mom would put towels ad other decorative things out,when she moved out she stopped but she didn't want us(my sister and me) messing it up but she wouldn't boobs trap them
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Kathrin Pukowsky 2 years ago
Pretty sure that wasn't a booby trap, rather the needles were needed to keep the towels in the desired shape. Still no idea what the good of a towel is if you can't use it, though.
Apps 2 years ago
I don't think booby-trapped is quite right - although I can see why OP thinks that. She stuck the pins in so that they would stay in their fancy folded arrangement because after all, the towels were decoration and not for use. If there were no other towels to use or even paper towels, then that's just inconsiderate and un-hostess like. She should have warned OP - poor kid.
Katy Cordeth 2 years ago
"White for hands, brown for feet, green for torso, thighs and seat. And in the cupboard 'neath the stair..." "You'll find the red for pubic hair."
Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
The pins may have been to keep it looking just right rather than to act as a deterrent.
And demonstrating a healthy understanding of the body's natural processes, the Yanomami tribe of South America farts as a greeting. Similarly, the Canadian Inuits will fart to demonstrate their satisfaction with a delicious meal. This raises a comical, hypothetical situation where a guest is flustered by their inability to fart on the spot. But, it goes without saying, easier out than in.
#13
No farting, she thought it was a disgusting act.
I remember once I snuck a fart whilst at his home, his mum asked who had done it, I categorically denied it and she marched him to the toilet and told him not to come out until he had s**t... I still feel guilty about that.
Violet1854 2 years ago
Farting is just a common biological process. Next, she would tell that no one in the house would be permitted to get a period.
Ken Beattie 2 years ago
While that is true, it's good to be taught courtesy. Like if you're ripping farts that would peel paint then go outside or go the bathroom. And if you do fart without warning then say "Excuse me" rather than just hoping no one noticed, or worse doing the old "Does anyone smell gasoline?"
Load More Replies... StrangeOne 2 years ago
My step-mom had a similar rule. I farted and she told me it was disgusting and means I have to go to the bathroom and made me sit on the toilet. It was never a rule at home. I really don't know what went on with some parents brains.
Sonja 2 years ago
What goes on in people's minds? Farts happen. They happen to everyone and you can't always hold them in. No one, absolutely no one can not fart. It's a biological process that's unstoppable. If you tell me you don't fart, I've found a liar. Even if you manage to hold it during the day, as soon as you fall asleep, you WILL fart. There's absolutely no way around it. It's also unhealthy as heck to hold in poop and farts all the time.
Fantastic Mr Fox 2 years ago
Wikipedia say we pass 0,5 to 1,5 liter per day. More than I thought.
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Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I had a neighbor with some really weird bathroom rules for her son (I think he was about 6). The one that was probably the strangest was that he wasn't allowed to poop until after 3:00pm every OTHER day. I only know this because I was asked to babysit once and she told me that he wasn't allowed to poop that day. Um, bullsh*t? I told the kid after she left, if he had to go it was okay and I wouldn't tell her. He RAN to the bathroom. F*cking bizarre, and I never really did get an explanation.
Gardener of Weeden 2 years ago
If you need to fart, go to the bathroom. I don't want to smell your s**t. Rudeness seems to be the general idea now. At one time it was considered bad manners, to not excuse yourself, when you passed gas (either way).
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
If you need to exhale, go to the bathroom. I don't want to smell the air that was just in your gross mouth
Load More Replies... Fantastic Mr Fox 2 years ago
No farting and go to the toilet if you need to. It’s a common rule. Though if there’s a dog, you can always blame the dog.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Just cause it's common doesn't mean it's ok. Passing gas is an entirely normal, and entirely harmless, bodily function. In fact, it can be harmful (or at least uncomfortable or even painful) to keep it in.
Load More Replies... #14
We were maybe 7 or 8 and not allowed to talk about the Disney show “That’s so Raven” because “psychics are on the same side as the devil”. We still watched it because my friend had leukemia and we only had access to so many box sets of 7th heaven. That’s so Raven was our favorite “guilty pleasure” until we discovered VH1 and “Flavor of Love” and other devilish shows. We got reeeeeally good at changing channels before her mom came in.
DANDI Stribling 2 years ago
Did you have ESP to know she was coming? Or did her Halo's glow tip you off?
Hex Gurls 2 years ago
angry moms exude radiation and once you feel the bone nausea you change the channels
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Bookworm 2 years ago
I don't understand this whole mentality where children who see PG entertainment with magic in it will be unable to understand that it's not real.
Delta Dawn 2 years ago
I think in this case it’s more the religious aspect. I also knew kids whose parents would not allow anything they deemed to be “devilish” in the house
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Karl 2 years ago
My Aunt was hyper Catholic and wouldn’t allow my cousins to read comics with magic/fantasy elements in them. What the hell does she think the Bible is? 😀
Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
My mom used to hit the flashback button to see if I changed the channel then ground me for watching MTV
Dragons Exist 2 years ago
Why do people think physics is stupid or doesn't exist. Literally everything you do is dictated by physics.
martin734 2 years ago
Ummm, I think the programme was about psychics, not physics but your point about physics is still vaid.
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SuperDarkStudios 2 years ago
Gods I love That's So Raven! I tried watching its reboot but I couldn't get into it.
Michelle C 2 years ago
That sounds like a Jehovah’s Witness practice or well-intentioned attempt to follow God‘s command not to associate with mediums and such. I have a feeling other strict practices accounted for the sneakiness, though.
#15
For some reason my one friend’s dog is absolutely traumatized by the iPhone text message ding sound. The dog will run upstairs, hide, and tremble and shake with fear for almost a half hour if someone gets a text. So we all have to put our phones on silent or change the tone sound. Makes me sad how afraid that dog is.
Rebekah 2 years ago
This is one rule I would follow. No reason to scare the dog in his own house.
Ivo H 2 years ago
Exactly. There might be thousands of reasons the poor dog associated the sound with something. I definitely wouldn’t judge the owners for this, my dog was always freaking out when my phone rang, as he always thought pizza arived and I will leave. No amount of persuation and calming him down helped, so we just put our phones on silent. Then he started to freak out from vibrations. Never had any reason for it and it then went away as he got older.
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Ann Jeppesen 2 years ago
My old dog had the same problem. He was abused before I got him at two years old. So there was definitely some trauma involving that sound.
Niki A 2 years ago
Our beloved beagle was terrified of any popping or pinging noise. All types of noises were strictly forbidden to my children because the least of them made him shake and freak out and lead to a seizure. He passed away on the first of this month, and we got bubble wrap in a package last week. No one popped it for a few days before we realized we could......
Angela Kelley 2 years ago
One of my dogs was terribly abused, she has scars all over, the most random daily things set her off. We make sure she isn’t anywhere near when we have to use one. It breaks our hearts to know such an innocent love was so terribly hurt. I think she picked me knowing I could never hurt her.
MaireC 2 years ago
Sometimes dogs just freak out at a particular noise for no reason. My dog refused to be in the same room as me for 4 days after I blew a raspberry, and the pop noises on YouTube videos make her get up and leave the room
Ken Beattie 2 years ago
Usually though once they realise it's harmless they get over it very quickly. I have a pup that's a few months old now and the first time I blew in the mouth of a soft drink bottle he freaked out. Not yelping, but doing the "WTF was that sorcery" thing that small puppies do. Showed him the bottle, did it again and he realised, hey this isn't dangerous and now it doesn't bother him. In contrast, my 8 year old dog is freaked out if you so much as wave your hands in the air, clapping, swapping a mosquito, waving goodbye all set her off and she runs out of the house. The weird thing is I got her as a small pup, never hit her and this has only started happening in the last few years. I'm now wondering whether someone did something while petsitting her or one of the neighbours when I wasn't home, or we've had someone come into the yard and do something.
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gotham-panda 2 years ago (edited)
This sounds like it might be associated with dog fighting. A lot of texting goes on behind the scenes there. (I know because I used to help a group that broke up dog fighting rings.) The dog might associate the sound now with being abused.
Tess 2 years ago
If the iPhone message sound always led to a screaming match over the phone, or in person, and the resulting anger had been taken out on the dog; it would definitely cause this level of trauma. It would have possibly been a rescue dog, otherwise the new owners wouldn't have cared enough to make it a rule.
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Rebecca Broscombe-Adams 2 years ago
My dog was definitely never abused & she can not stand the chirping iPhone messaged tone. She hides & trembles. Dogs have acute hearing & can hear sounds we can't. The tone was probably one that hurt her ears.
Pandapoo 2 years ago
I hide and tremble when I hear that on my phone. 🤣. Kidding. I keep it on vibrate. I think you’re right that the tone may have hurt her ears.
Load More Replies...All these examples go to demonstrate that people have rules all over the world. Who can actually say what is unusual or even strange? Better to share the variants so we know what to avoid in certain households and what households to avoid entirely. After all, when in Rome goes the old adage for a good reason, when one is in someone else's house, it’s best to comply with their rules, one way or another.
#16
I know a lot of families do this but I find it really weird. Not being able to leave until you've eaten everything, and having to eat things you don't like. I remember my uncle trying yo force me to eat salad, and saying I had to eat it all or couldn't leave the table. He threatened to tell my mom. I refused go eat it (No thanks) and my mom was super pissed off. At him. Because if you don't like something you shouldn't be forced to eat it, and if you're full you shouldn't be forced to eat more.
Brenda 2 years ago
We had to try everything. But we're never forced to eat it after we tried it.
The Other Guest 2 years ago
Our mom's rule was two bites of everything before you could have seconds of anything or leave the table. That ended when you reached age 13 or so. She figured by then we knew what we liked & what we didn't. I remember putting canned peas (ptui!) on my spoon one at a time, asking "Is this a bite?" after each addition.
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Qia Munther 2 years ago
My daugther (17) always had to try all food served. If she didnt like it she did not have to eat it, and we would try again when she was a little older. Today she eats almost everything and is very curious about trying new flavours .
Max Fox 2 years ago
Yup. One of the most common reasons for eating disorders is being forced to eat everything on your plate.
Load More Replies... K.O. 2 years ago
6"I spent many an anxious hour at the kitchen table, as I was a picky eater with a low appetite. There was yelling, cajoling and endless lectures. I sometimes hid the food, but never ate it. Now I am a 6' 3" 215 lb. man. Please, show some compassion for your own kids, or at least common sense.
ShellsBells 2 years ago
My dad would tell me not to leave my chair until I ate my brussel sprouts. Thankfully we had chairs with wheels so I'd just push myself along to the fridge. As an adult, I take care of him, and I do his grocery shopping. I would buy brussel sprouts for him all the time. He finally asked me to stop, as he didn't like them. Now he gets Meals on Wheels and he still doesn't like the ones with brussel sprouts.
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Michelle C 2 years ago
Force-feeding someone is abuse, perhaps, excepting rare cases where the people in question are struggling with a disease like anorexia and have to eat or they will die. In that case, the refusal to eat would kill them, and coaxing them to eat, would be saving their lives- end of discussion.
Chexmy Licks 2 years ago
i dont remember being forced to eat something bc i basically eat everything that someone gave for me, not picky eater. Thats why im fat lol
Awesome Panda 2 years ago
My “stepmother” sometimes attempts to do the same with me but after a while my dad started saying like “it’s not good for kids and really messes them up”.But it’s like why should I if I’m full.
Jes.the.Mess 2 years ago (edited)
My husband grew up in a family like this and at first tried to implement it with our oldest. I quickly shut that down and changed it to you have to *try* everything on your plate. When it comes to veggies she has to have at least three mouthfuls. Some kids have smaller appetites and some have bigger. It's not fair to stress them out over whatever portion we eyeball and think is "right"
Lolly Gagger 2 years ago
These stories are so strange. When my kids have friends over, I turn in the the magical food lady from candy-land coupled with some sort of attachment parenting mother extraordinaire and am the nicest lady ever. I suddenly get the urge to make everyone cookies and star shaped sandwiches and if they don’t like the meal that’s being served, I’ll make another meal, I let them have all the screen time the fee like, get out paint and glitter when it’s nearly bedtime (I actually really enjoy having their friends over because it suddenly makes me a much more sweet and patient mummy then when we’re by ourselves and all I can think of is getting the laundry done).
#17
Stoner friend I met in my neighborhood and used to buy weed from had a couple parakeets, a grow room full of plants, and absolutely zero sense of personal hygiene. First time I came over to pick up weed, he tells me to take off my shoes. Ok, sure. Socks it is... I walk in and the entire living room carpet is absolutely covered in a layer of bird seed and bird s**t, parakeets just flying all around the place, screeching. I really needed that weed, so I just pretended like nothing was wrong... After that, I insisted we meet elsewhere. Not an unusual rule in any other context, but maybe let your guests wear shoes if your entire apartment is a dank, bird s**t encrusted hell hole, mmkay?
StrangeOne 2 years ago
That is odd. Every person's home that turned out to be a complete biohazard warzone I was told beforehand to keep my shoes on. So whenever someone tells me to not take off my shoes, I prepare myself to make it a very short visit or take a raincheck.
Delta Dawn 2 years ago
I had one single sleepover at a friend’s house that had dog turds everywhere, including in *the bed we slept on*. No more sleepovers there after that.
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Ryan Winters 2 years ago (edited)
Reminds me of a comedian talking about how with weed being legalized many pot dealers were going to find out they don't have as many good friends as they thought they had
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I have a mat next to the front door for my husband's work boots. I usually take my "outside" shoes of and wear slippers in the house. If guests choose to remove their shoes that's great (most do when they see the mat), but I don't make it a requirement as some people just aren't comfortable.
Denise Harvell 2 years ago
I accidentally killed my parakeet by giving it another one to keep it company. The original parakeet killed the new friend. I don't like birds now.
Pandapoo 2 years ago
We have a hermit crab that ate all the other hermit crabs he was with. He is now a 32 year old jerk crab. He may be a lonely hermit, but I guess he likes it that way.
Load More Replies... #18
We had to go to bed at 6:45 on a Friday :(. It was still light outside and we could see kids playing at the park across the street. Never spent the night again. Also she killed my sea monkeys and set my pet turtle free in the forest. So f**k that b***h.
MongoMarcia 2 years ago
Or, she was a psycho because she went to bed early and could hear other kids having fun.
Load More Replies... Ash Conner 2 years ago
A dictator. She is crossing boundaries. You can not do that to someone else's pets. I mean if you don't want to turtle in your house just ask the child to never bring it again and they should have asked if that was the case
Robin Roper 2 years ago
Why did the OP take their sea monkeys (brine shrimp) and pet turtle of the friend's house? I nor anyone I know ever with visited lugging a fish bowl along.
Silence Hill 2 years ago
Unless it really was a turtle and not a tortoise.
Load More Replies... #19
When we'd go to play cards at the neighbor's, we had to leave our Verizon cellphones outside the house, cuz she got headaches, coughing fits from the emanations(?). Yet, her and her spouse would whip out their Iphones to look up stuff on the internet, take calls, etc. right in front of us, as we played. Apparently Iphones and AT&T emanations are ok, but not Verizon's. Damn Verizon, I knew they were up to something!
Tess 2 years ago
I mean if they're playing cards for money, it might be to their advantage. But not so much if they're playing poker and the two AT&T owners are messaging each other their hands...
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I had a neighbor who had her husband committed for very similar, beliefs (?). He was thoroughly paranoid when it came to any kind of electronics, like seriously freaking out about the government (okay, I get that one), but I had a hard time with the aliens. He couldn't walk under power lines or "they" would suck out his thoughts, or some such sh*t. Guy was a nutjob. He didn't just get a 72 hour hold, either.
Tess 2 years ago
There are nutjobs, but then there are people suffering from serious psychiatric conditions. They are not the same thing, and shouldn't be referred to as if they are. He didn't end up with being committed for an extended period of time for being a nutjob. He has/had a serious mental illness.
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Ken Beattie 2 years ago
I must admit if someone pulled that on me I'd keep the phone in my pocket and just tell them I left it in the car. I'd want to see proof of this condition.
#20
I was in junior high school and our history teacher assigned a project that had to be done in groups and I was assigned to be with a girl who always came off as a little odd. We start talking about the project and she asks me about coming to her house one day to work on it. I tell her that's cool with me and she says, "Before you come over though, you need to know there are rules at my house." Some of the rules were...NOBODY was allowed to wear black of any kind...her parents required you to show them your ID when you came in...you had to pray with them upon arriving and leaving...and we had to work in the living room so her mother could watch us. We just ended up doing the work in the library.
Pineapple (he/him) 2 years ago
good news im banned from that house as i pretty much only wear black
Lightning_Thief 2 years ago
I would be too, my fave hoodie is black with a purple dragon on it lol
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Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
No school ID? I'm pretty sure I had one in jr high.
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the_harbringer_of_doom[s/t/h] 2 years ago
thank goodness im not allowed there, all i wear is black
Dawnieangel76 2 years ago
I'd be okay there in warm weather, but forbidden from September to March. LOL!
#21
While sleeping over at one friend's house we HAD to sleep in the living room. When I woke up her whole family was fully dressed and sitting on the sofa, just sitting there, no TV on, basically waiting for us to wake up. It was the weirdest thing and I never slept over ever again. I did not like having her old dad's face watching me when I woke up.
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
Hell? I don’t think that is censored
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Ken Beattie 2 years ago
Sounds creepy, but I wonder if they had plans and it was their way of hurrying you guys up.
#22
My friend keeps separate cups in his house for anyone he suspects eats a*s
I have my own cup
Ru Bee 2 years ago
The rabbit cups on this post are PERFECT! 100 upvotes to whomever picked this photo! I assume they are a zoologist ....best picture ever!
Spocks's Mom 2 years ago (edited)
Why are those cups perfect for this post? Do rabbits eat a*s?
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Jared Robinson 2 years ago
No one on the internet cares or even wants to know that you eat a*s.
Trish Panda 2 years ago
This would only make sense if they didn't wash their glasses between uses...
Rosie Cat 2 years ago
Can't take the risk of any a*s crumbs and butt dust being left over...
Load More Replies... #23
My best friend's mom had a rule that we were not allowed to talk about Fantasy writing. Because she was worried that my friend would become interested in the occult and 'fall away'. Which happened anyways because by neurotically forbidding the thing Sandra became interested in that thing.
Ovata Acronicta 2 years ago
Pokemon then: evil demons. Pokemon now: covering my bed in plush and blanket form. Non-Pocket-Monsters then: evil demons. Monsters now: kinda hot.
Dawnieangel76 2 years ago
I developed an interest in vampires before I was even 10. I lived with my grandparents, and though my Nana was very religious, my Grampa had no filter for what I watched on TV. I saw the original Nosferatu when I was like 5 & was fascinated. For my first Holy Communion...raised Catholic...I actually spit out the wine & cried. "You said it was going to be blood, not liquor (wine)!" I thought they were going to perform an exorcism right there!
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Mabelbabel 2 years ago
My ex wouldn't allow Phillip Pullman's novels in the house, because the characters have 'daemons' who can talk and interact with the person. It's abundantly obvious that in the alternative world he created, a daemon was a person's soul that had a physical existence outside the body. But he decided daemons were demons and evil. He threw out all my Harry Potter too, because it was all wizards and witches and evil characters, regardless of the fact that good won over evil at the end. Bizarre set of beliefs really.
Elio 2 years ago
I hope you threw your ex out. Throw the whole man or woman away if they act like that.
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Nathan Pogorzala 2 years ago
The worst ones are always the lunatic sect of the Christian faith.
#24
We had to pray the Rosary at 3:00, no matter what...anyone who is Catholic can tell you how much time that takes up. Bonus points if you had to do it and aren't even Catholic..
David Wambold 2 years ago
If you get really good at it about 15 minutes. Just say all the prayers as fast as you can. Of course, "good" Catholics take their time.
Majungasaurus 2 years ago
“Oh Lord, oooh you are so big. So absolutely huge. Gosh, we’re all really impressed down here I can tell you. Forgive us, O Lord, for this dreadful toadying and barefaced flattery. But you are so strong and, well, just so super. Fantastic. Amen."
Load More Replies... Michelle C 2 years ago
My grandmother would watch the mass on EWTN and pray the Rosary from 3 to 4 o’clock every day for the last 20 years of her life. No one was to call her and we all respected that. That was one of the few times she was super strict about anything in her life! Y’all just brought back. Wonderful memories and thank you. ❤️
Christian Golden 2 years ago
We couldn't go outside or play inside from 12 to 3 on Good Friday.
Gardener of Weeden 2 years ago
Doesn't the Bible say something against chanting? Organized ridiculous IMHO.
Christian Golden 2 years ago
The Bible says all manner of things. From the profound to the ridiculous.
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SkyBlueandBlack 2 years ago
Right? I'd double down by visiting on a Friday with some beef jerky or something. XD
Load More Replies... SkyBlueandBlack 2 years ago
Wow. Well, I guess I should thank Martin Luther for sparing me that!
SillyPandaBunny 2 years ago
My family was catholic. Not once did I ever have to do the rosary. Early on I declared I was not religious and they just accepted it.
the sixthgirl 2 years ago
I hope you know how lucky you are. I had to fight my way out.
Load More Replies... #25
My Aunt has a rule that we could only take baths, no showers, and no more than two inches of water in the tub. My cousin and I had to bathe together until finally my parents intervened when I was 10 and offered to give them $ so I could enjoy my two inches of water alone. I get being frugal, but geez! I hated staying there.
Lynda Birch 2 years ago
If your were my kid, you would not be going there let alone giving the $ for you to bathe properly
Hex Gurls 2 years ago
they probably had work and this was free babysitting
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SillyPandaBunny 2 years ago
If you can’t afford the extra water to let guests shower, then you can’t afford guests.
Ash Conner 2 years ago
What would she have done if one of you had your period? What the hell is wrong with her. How'd you guys wash your hair
Kar Red Roses 2 years ago
My aunt & uncle had a “three minutes of hot water” shower rule for when I’d sleep over at their place. They would shut the HW down on me from the basement if they felt I was taking too long.
Ken Beattie 2 years ago
I kinda get this one. If there's not enough hot water to go round then it needs to be rationed. Three minutes is kinda short though. One of my friends has a daughter who apparently just loves standing in the shower. Forty minute showers are not uncommon and she's done that since she was little.
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Helmuth Massat 2 years ago
I had an aunt that I spent my summers with who had this rule. I suspect the septic system was inadequate.
#26
Couldn't sleep in the same bed as my SO while we were guests at my cousins place for the weekend because her and I were not married.
SO and I were both 34 and had been living together for about 4 years.
Ru Bee 2 years ago
Luckily none of my family or friends are like this and let's face it I'm not married but we've been together 20 years. We can keep our hand off each other for one night anyway! What do these people think is going to happen! I'm not desperate to get it on in someone's family home with those sexy sexy paper thin walls! WTF?
Load More Replies... SillyPandaBunny 2 years ago
First time staying o er at my MIL house after my husband and I were married, she insisted I had to sleep in a separate bed for comfort. Whose comfort, I’ll never know. We always get a hotel or air bnb when we visit now. Not doing that again. That was weird
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago
Living this one now too 😂 his mum even asked the other week if I wanted to come to church for a singles seminar - I’ve been with her son 3 yrs
Michael Largey 2 years ago
Have your bf ask her when the orphans support group meets.
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PurpleUnicorn 2 years ago
There were no double beds in my MIL's house, just to make sure. You could share a room with your spouse/partner but no hanky panky allowed!
Urbangirlatl 2 years ago
I've known several folks who do this. Makes no sense. It's beyond me why any sane adult would consider 2 adults in the same bed a problem just bc they are not married.
Barbara Kelly 2 years ago
It is likely due to religious or personal beliefs. The idea that, if the behavior happens "under their roof", they are condoning or promoting it.
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Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
Yeah, I never really understood that one. If you sleep in the same bed in your own home, what difference does it make? I can pretty much guarantee the host being in the next room will prevent us from "getting busy".
#27
My grandpa has never let anyone say the words “butt” or “bum” or even “tuchus” in his home. They were too crass for his delicate ears. If you absolutely had to refer to the bubbly region on the bottom of your back, you had to call it your “seater” or face the consequences. It made my 6 year old self giggle like an idiot when I overheard my mom talking about cedar wood.
Rebekah 2 years ago
Dear God... my Grandpa said "seater". I just now realized he wasn't saying Cedar??? I'm a couple more than a few decades into adulthood. Seater. JFC, I feel like an idiot. TY for watching.
The Other Guest 2 years ago
I shall now start referring to my butt as my bubbly region. I'm also reminded of a time in elementary school when we were all supposed to memorize & recite a poem. I'll never forget the one Edgar told: "Mary had a little lamb, she tied it to the heater. Every time they turned it on, he burned his little seater."
aartdesigns 2 years ago
Might have been sexually abused as a child. References to that part of the anatomy might be a trigger...
Suzy Creamcheese 2 years ago
My grandpa always said "@rse", but he didn't care what you called it. ;-)
#28
Sort of the opposite, actually. When I was younger, my aunt came over to my house for Christmas dinner with her two children. After we finished eating and opening gifts, she announced to her children, myself, and my sister that we all had to be in bed by 7 and would wake up at 6 at the latest before going to church as a group. Now, mind you, this was in my house. I had my own schedule to follow, but just because she wanted her precious children to leave her and her wine headache alone, she started micromanaging us. Also, she wouldn’t let us eat sugary cereal.
Strings 2 years ago
Sorry, buy NOBODY in my family got away with trying to enforce rules on me when I was still living at home (parents excepted, of course). House rules were mom & dad's, and that was bloody well that
Nikole 2 years ago
Yeah this is weird. Why would a guest have or think they have any say?
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LK 2 years ago
At Grandma's house, my aunt wouldn't let my little cousin have a dessert as my cousin hadn't finished all of her main meal (she was 18 months). My Grandma brought our desserts for everyone apart from my aunt and my cousin. When my aunt complained, Grandma very reasonably said, "But you didn't finish your meal either. If we are imposing rules, we must have equality." :oD
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
One of my Mom's boyfriend's tried that sh*t on me when I was about 11, which was really weird because I was always polite & well mannered. I (female) informed him that the only man in our house was me and I would follow my own rules. He had no response, but my Mom started cracking up. She broke up with him shortly after.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
No. You can make rules for your own home, but you cannot impose your rules on other people's homes.
SheamusFanFrom1987 2 years ago
Anyone, family or not tries this stunt in my house and it's a one-way ticket to GTFO City for them. Smh!!!
#29
I went to a birthday party for Jesus at a friend’s house one Christmas, complete with a cake that said, “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” We watched very religious Christmas movies and went caroling in our pajamas. It was very fun, but I can only imagine what every other Christian holiday was like in their house.
Coffee_nut45? 2 years ago
I used to work as a nanny. The 4-year-old boy asked me if Santa Claus was real. I knew how his mother felt about this particular question so I explained to him about how as Christians Christmas is about Jesus birth and celebrating that. I explained that Santa Claus represented the feeling of Christmas that we carry in our hearts all year long. He looked up at me and said can we have a birthday party for Jesus? So that is what we did. We had a cake we played games and then we opened Christmas presents afterwards. It was a fun day and we had Christmas dinner that night. That was 12 years ago. Even though I am not still there nanny, they still talk about it now as a fond memory.
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
That’s a lovely story! Thank you for sharing it with us!
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Spencer's slave 2 years ago
I'm Roman Catholic born, raised and educated. Yes, the major occasions had religious elements but the fun, childlike expectations were also deemed very important because they helped us understand the religious stories and beliefs. Our priest was Irish. Religious holidays - Easter, Christmas etc were as much a following and belief in good whisky and tobacco whilst visiting with parishioners. So not a Catholic zealot but an Irishmen who had a calling to God but stayed just a genuine, down to earth bloke.
Tiny Tiger 2 years ago
Used to do this with my grandparents as a kid. 21 now. I still have fond memories of decorating the cake with Grandma, watching the original little drummer boy, Rudolf the reindeer, and frosty the snowman, and singing carols around the house. Man I miss my grandparents! ♥️
Ash Conner 2 years ago
I mean it is Jesus's birthday. If you're going to celebrate Jesus's birthday then celebrate his birthday. I've done happy birthday Jesus cakes before. My daughter went to Catholic school and had a Christmas party so I made a bear-shaped cake and happy birthday Jesus on it. The kids loved it. They all just thought about baby Jesus.
#30
One friend's mother always immediately demanded to witness me calling my own mother, to say where I was. At age 8? Sensible. At age 17 when I worked full time? OTT.
StrangeOne 2 years ago (edited)
This would be something my mom expected of me to do. Call her and let her know where I was. If there was any friend's house I went to she demanded to know the number, address and everyone's first and last names. If I didn't call or even if I did, she would still make a random call. If I wasn't there she would flip tf out. Likely call in a missing person's report. She did that until I moved out at 19.
Jessica Bertram 2 years ago
i don't know if my parents ever called to check if i was actually there, but, same. that was life in a pre-cellphone world.
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I can understand that one, especially if you're female. I don't think it's a control thing, I think it's just a safety precaution to make sure you arrived okay.
Delta Dawn 2 years ago
Well, I can see her logic. Teenagers will not always tell their parents the truth about where they are or who they hang out with.
DANDI Stribling 2 years ago
Sometimes brain tissue is discarded with the amniotic fluid leaving only idiotic fluid...
#31
Stayed over my best friends house at the time when I was maybe 8 years old? All spinach diet. The family was insanely healthy anyway but literally boiled spinach for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That didn't last longer than 2 weeks thank gosh.
Soph the Loaf 2 years ago
Only spinach for 2 weeks?? I'm no dietitian, but that sounds pretty unhealthy, especially for a growing kid...
Michael Largey 2 years ago
They are what they are, and that's all that they are!
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Samyan Elrod 2 years ago
My parents had a phase when I was abt 3 and my brother was 1, to feed us tons of cabbage and pears to manage our "anger issues" (read: tantrums). I couldn't take it and puked in the car. They stopped soon after. Cabbage and pears are gross.
Ash Conner 2 years ago
Spinach is wonderful but too much spinach is not wonderful. That is literally not good for your body.
Robin Roper 2 years ago
You could get the necessary calcium, Vitamin C and some other important vitamins and minerals from spinach but not the necessary protein. Children need between 20 and 35 grams of protein a day. A kid would have to eat between 5 and 8 cups of cooked spinach a day to get that much protein. I like spinach, but yuck!
#32
My grandparents have always had a cat. All well and good, cats are nice and I have nothing against them. The problem was that the cat that they had when me and my siblings were young was a rescue cat and super shy. Apparently the logical solution to this was that we had to spend chunks of time being as quiet as possible so as not to disturb it. We were even given homemade 'medals' one at least one occasion for being particularly quiet around the house. As a child, this was pretty torturous a lot of the time, but I never really realised how strange it was until later.
My grandparents are great in general, just a little weird about their cats.
Freelove 2 years ago
Are you sure the reason for the rule wasn't to just get you kids to shut up and actually had nothing to do with the cat? 😉
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago (edited)
I get your grandparents too well 😆 they don’t often like (especially if they aren’t from homes with kids) small humans with louder voices and more erratic unpredictable movements compared to the adult counterparts.
Fantastic Mr Fox 2 years ago
I like the grandparents are considerate about the cat. The cat was super shy and a rescue cat. Nothing wrong.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
This one doesn't strike me as weird at all. It's the cat's house, not yours, and your grandparents wanted the cat to feel safe at home.
Angela Kelley 2 years ago
Dearest poster, this is a version of the “quiet” game, hide and seek (or not seek), and all of the other game versions of, I love you, but shut up. 💓
Michelle C 2 years ago
A lot of these house rules seem connected to possible animal abuse by previous owners in some way. In this case, though, I wonder if the grandparents were afraid of provoking the cat because the cat had reacted poorly to unintentionally, loud noise before that first visit?
Jared Robinson 2 years ago
Oh no I wasn't allowed to go crazy and act like a fool around my old grandparents oh woe is me.
#33
I suppose it isn't too weird in and of itself but an old friend of mine invited me to her new apartment in order to cook dinner for me. When I showed up she told me that the rule was that whoever doesn't cook has to do the dishes and was that okay? I said yes though I thought it was a little bit rude. The way I was raised was that as a guest, you must always offer to help with dishes or just jump in and help. But as a host you never *ever* ask. But oh well, my friend was probably raised with slightly different values. Anyway, I start scrubbing after our meal and then my friend'a two roommates who had both made their own meals threw their dishes in the sink too. I gave the girl roommate a significant look and she responded "Oh, all Sam's guests do dishes in this house. It's our rule." My friend also had to ask her two roommates for permission to invite friends over. She had to give at least a day's notice and they couldn't be there after ten o'clock.
Cammy Mack 2 years ago
I would never fathom asking guests to do my dishes, and neither would I do anyone else's dishes.
CHRISTY SMITH 2 years ago
I would have immediately walked out if 2 roommates added their damn dishes.
Nichole Harris 2 years ago
As a southern woman I would fall on my sword before asking my guest to lift a finger
Courtney Christelle 2 years ago
My sister in law does the dishes when her and my brother come over to my mom’s but my mom always says she doesn’t have to. My sil was just raised that way. I always collect the dishes and give them a good rinsing so it’s easier on the host later.
#34
I was staying with a friend and his family for a while in their home. It was a 5 bedroom house and each bed room had a bathroom in it, great, right? Wrong. The only bathroom that was allowed to be used was the bathroom inside of the master bedroom (his mothers bedroom) and she would proceed to get angry and scream any time someone needed to use it. There were 7 people in the home at the time.
She also had benches around the house but they weren't allowed to be sat on. Bench: 1.
a long seat for several people, typically made of wood or stone.
I still hear that woman screaming like she's being Indian burned by 40 full grown men when I think about sitting on a bench.
Ken Beattie 2 years ago
Five bathrooms sounds bonkers. 1 bathroom and 1, maybe 2 ensuites are more than enough. I'd hate to have to clean all them.
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I can understand not wanting to clean 5 bathrooms, but to designate the one in your OWN bedroom for everyone else to use is really weird, especially if I have to pee in the middle of the night.
Ivy Ruonakoski 2 years ago
I'd have just made each person clean their own bathroom, once old enough.
Load More Replies... Shyla Bouche 2 years ago
The prison I was in had several benches outside the main building. For whatever reason, inmates were not allowed to sit on them. Every few minutes, a staff member would happen by, and anyone sitting would be disciplined.
Bookworm 2 years ago
Indian burns are basically when someone grabs your arm and twists the skin around. My sister was always trying to do it to me in middle school.
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Spittnimage 2 years ago
Moron woman. If you decree no bathroom but yours be used then you can't be mad when there's traffic in and out of your bedroom.
#35
HAD to have milk with dinner. I told them I didn't want any and they said you need to say "I don't care for any milk" .. They still gave me milk anyway with a bunch of ice cubes in it. They were not allowed to have water with dinner.. Like why?
Heather W 2 years ago
I would have had to share that milk sometimes gives me explosive diarrhea. Which is lovely pre-meal conversation.
Robin DJW 2 years ago
We had milk at every meal, my parents as well as us kids. We all loved milk, and did not realize until fully adult that this was not the norm. We always had milk in the fridge and were allowed to drink it any time we liked. We had a milkman who delivered 3x/week. We never ran out of milk. My dad told us later that it was the most costly part of the food budget, but he never begrudged it. Our parents were cool about a lot of stuff.
Ken Beattie 2 years ago
I remember my Grandparents on Mum's side getting literal buckets of milk delivered when I was little. That changed to bottles then later plastic bags of milk. Dad's side had a dairy farm so they always had their own milk.
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Mary Hiers 2 years ago
I never liked drinking milk, but growing up in the late 60s-70s it was expected everywhere except at home (we usually had tea). People were just so uptight about it, like if you didn't drink milk you were going to develop ricketts immediately and become a permanently sickly adult. I'm glad those days are mostly over.
Ash Conner 2 years ago
I think milk is disgusting. I would have just told him I'm lactose intolerant really which wasn't a lie when I was a kid.
oddly_informed_raven 2 years ago
what happens when they have a lactose-intolerant friend over??
#36
When I was younger (8 or 9) I stayed the night at a church friend`s house overnight for the first time. The family was middle class and never had problems with money, but told me to save water and money they showered in pairs. I thought they were joking at first, but later that night I showered (incredibly close) to my good friend. Didn't question it just did what I was told. Not too weird, but I thought i would share.
SkyBlueandBlack 2 years ago
Dude. When we said, "Save water, shower with a friend!" back in the 70s/80s, it was a joke, people!
Ash Conner 2 years ago
I can't get these kids not to not take a shower with each other. They make a big freaking mess. This really isn't a big deal. Honestly though if I didn't know the child like that I wouldn't enforce that rule. But honestly as kids everybody took showers with everybody. Nobody cares
#37
This is back when I was in year 8 at school, so I would have been 12 going on 13 - I had a sleepover at a friends house and we wanted to go to the shops to buy some sweets, and the girls mum made me phone my mum to ask for permission to cross the road. My mum was as confused as I was.
StrangeOne 2 years ago
Maybe it was a precautionary thing stemming from a bad experience, or the highway was known to be dangerous to cross. Who knows?
Ken Beattie 2 years ago
Might also be about the sweets. Letting the Mum say no to more sweets if she chose to.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 2 years ago
Why did the daughter ask her mom for permission to cross the road? To get to the other side, of course.
Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
I stayed over my best friends house up the street and her mother took us to the mall but I didn't call my.mom to ask since I already had permission to be there. She went CRAZY threatened to charge my best friends mom with kidnapping and everything else. Mortifying.
若韵 雷 2 years ago
It's also partially a liability issue. They're bringing someone's child away from the expected/approved location -- can be compared to kidnapping.
Jared Robinson 2 years ago
I understand this. depending on how far away it was i was not allowed to leave a friends house for anything, because after you leave the friends house your parent no longer had any idea where you were because cell phones did not exist. Perfectly fine and not weird rule at all. Extremely common for anyone over thirty
#38
We couldn't talk about feces in their home. Everything else like sex, semen, whatever was fine, but poop is not.
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
This list is about “weird” rules, not “hardships suffered”.
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Spocks's Mom 2 years ago
My husband's family will talk about poop anywhere anytime. They are all in the medical field, but some of the stories are not medically related. I love his family so much! 👍🤣
Spittnimage 2 years ago
Politeness would dictate that you not talk about any of the above-mentioned things.
#39
At my friend's house as a kid about 8years old they had two toilets one upstairs one downstairs up stairs was for number 1s and downstairs for number 2s with no explanation why rather Strange rule if you ask me.
deejak 2 years ago
Hmm maybe the upstairs one was prone to clogging, since it had farther to travel?
Sky Render 2 years ago
That can definitely happen. Especially if the pipe has an unintentional bend in it.
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Sea Squirrel 2 years ago
I like this rule. So do the children. Unfortunately my husband doesn't. Believe me, brushing our teeth after he's just been there, is no fun.
Puck 2 years ago
We also have this rule for the exact same reason: the toilet upstairs is in the bathroom, next to the sink and shower and i don't like smelling poo when i come out of the shower or when i brush ny teeth. The toilet downstairs is a single toilet.
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Kelly Aitken 2 years ago
Lmao we have this rule in our house, but it isn't enforced strictly. It's just to make sure the main bathroom isn't occupied for long periods of time, a/o stinks the whole upstairs up! Mom of three, 17,10,8
AK to LV 2 years ago
Febreeze, trust me on this. We had a bathroom on the edge of the living room. Has made life so much better!!
Load More Replies... Ru Bee 2 years ago
I'm in trouble can't remember the last time I number 2'd without number 1ing!
#40
Not just at their house, but even if we went out to eat.
You were allowed only one glass of tea or Coke a day. If you drank said tea or Coke with your breakfast or lunch, you could only drink water the rest of the day.
If I went out to eat with them, his mom would always say, "four ice waters". His mom or stepdad paid for their meals; I had to pay for mine separately. I'd also order a sweet tea, which would often p**s my friend off. She'd insist I drink the water after the tea before we left.
Lauren S 2 years ago
I can understand limiting caffeine and encouraging water drinking, but rules that are so black and white don’t seem to make total sense.
Lea Panthera 2 years ago
My family's household does have these types of cutthroat rules, but guests are allowed to break them because they're GUESTS.
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A Bi-Cycle 2 years ago
I understand the Coke and tea rule as we have the same, but making your guest pay for their child guest pay for their own meal…?
MRF 2 years ago
Not okay to invite someone for dinner and make them pay - especially a kid. That’s psycho. If you can’t afford to pay for the “guest,” don’t invite them! Also, if it’s the USA, I pity the server bc they clearly got zero tip - or even worse a JW pamphlet declaring “I’ll give you a tip…” ugh.
Yayheterogeneity 2 years ago
This is a healthy rule. Drinking water is not really bad for you...?
Jaaawn 2 years ago
I don't know why anyone would or should be drinking Coke with breakfast tbh.
PotatoNinja5000 2 years ago
This is where cordial comes in. Water can get pretty boring, especially to kids. Prepackaged juices like Capri-Sun still have a ton of sugar, but cordial can be diluted and still provide a nice flavour.
Lolly Gagger 2 years ago
It’s still unnecessary sugar, in my humble opinion. All my kids ever drink is water except if it’s a special occasion (meal out, party, treat or something).
Load More Replies... Ash Conner 2 years ago
I understand this rule for children. But here are a few rude things here. For one, drinking tea in front of your friend when they can not is not cool. Second, if you invite a guest child with you then pay. I would understand if the kid begged and you didn't have money, then ok. I just find this weird
#41
I was watching movies with a friend at her house and she put on the subtitles for me. Part way through the movie her mom came into the room and started yelling about the subtitles and demanded we turn them off. Once we turned them off, she left the room. I still don't understand why she was so mad.
Angi 2 years ago
I only get mad because subtitles are so wrong half the time. It's not fair to the people who are deaf.
Bienlunée 2 years ago
Wholeheartedly agree! I have hearing loss and it is SOOO annoying when the subtitles don’t match what I am partially hearing. Also, why would someone downvote that. You are being supportive and it is an accurate observation. THANK YOU!
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Crazy Cookie 2 years ago
My dad hates subtitles bc he has adhd and they distract him and make it hard to watch the movie. Maybe that’s the situation here?
CatLady 2 years ago
I have ADHD and it's the only way I can watch tv. With them on. But it sounds like the mother wasn't even watching. She just noticed they were on, made them turn them off, and left.
Load More Replies... #42
5 minutes showers. Seriously, stayed at the house of a family friend when I was going cross country after college and the dad had installed a shower head that had a timer. Once you started it you got 5 minutes of water. New, I’m all about being frugal, but the financial consequences of an extra 5 minutes of water are not extreme.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago (edited)
Hated this with tank water, mum had a rule of 2minute showers, which was kool and all but my mums have lesbian haircuts (they are gay it wasn’t an outdated insult) and my sister had a pixie crop and I have/had metre long hair - the amount of times I’d have the shower turned off with suds or conditioner in my hair, used to make 12yr old me so upset
Ru Bee 2 years ago
☹️ you'd think as part of the LGBT community they'd be more inclusive.
Load More Replies... White Sauce Hot Sauce 2 years ago
If this is a problem for you, don't join the Navy. Most boats limit showers to 3 minutes of water.
Old Roadie 2 years ago
Boot camp showers. Get wet, turn water off. Soap down as far as possible. Soap up as far as possible. Soap possible. Rinse off.
#43
My former friend's mom had a weird sort of unspoken rule. My friends parents were divorced and she lived with her dad, even though her mother only lived 30 minutes away. Well, my friend wanted a sleepover for her birthday, and her mom's place was much bigger so that's where we went. She would literally stand guard over us as we ate, and wiped up any and all stray crumbs on the table the moment they dropped. I should mention we were teenagers, and we weren't eating like slobs; it was just normal eating/passing food. It was especially weird because my friends normal residence was a f*****g mess, but here her mother was diving at any errant crumbs. She didn't even eat *with* us, just stood watch with a towel in hand, mildly annoyed. We figured out quick to eat with utmost precision. It was an awkward couple of meals.
Joshua Micheal 2 years ago
Gee, I wonder why they divorced. Husband was an insufferable slob and wife sounds uptight as hell.
The Other Guest 2 years ago
::Odd Couple theme starts playing in the background::
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#44
One that always seemed odd to me was : Not beverages during dinner except water. You might say this is sensible because it's healthier not to drink sodas etc, and I would agree, but they would drink large amounts of cokes/sodas any time else, just not during dinner. Also I totally understood why they wanted me to take my shoes off, but not why they would have such a dirty floor then, walking there with my shoes would have probably cleaned the floor more than make it dirty ..
#45
Can't swear on the stairs.
David Wambold 2 years ago
But I can swear off the stairs? Well I will tell you what I think at the bottom.
Old Roadie 2 years ago
Irish? Long ago, cursing was bit of magic, calling upon supernatural powers to deliver justice .... not something to be taken lightly. Perhaps especially bad on stairs, because old wives tales had important meanings. Used to be stumbling up the stairs meant a wedding would happen soon. Passing someone on the stairs was bad luck. Cursing on stairs could really be bad juju.
#46
One time I went to my girlfriend Sharon’s parents place for the first time. She warned me her parents were weird but I shrugged it off...When I got there her parents demanded i stay out on the heated porch for 30 minutes so all the snow on me would melt (this was in Chicago during winter). Then they told me to change my shirt because it was too casual or something 🤪. I ended up breaking up with my girlfriend (bc she cheated on me with my big bro Erik) so I never had to see her parents again. Ps: Sharon, go rot in hell. You don’t deserve my brother you freaking jerk!
Rayven 2 years ago
To clarify: OP's brother is also at fault because he slept with the OP's girlfriend. They both betrayed the OP.
insert name here 2 years ago
Thank you for summing that us so well Rayven
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Suzy Creamcheese 2 years ago
Dude, your "big bro" boffed your girlfriend. I'd say Erik and Sharon deserve each other.
Claire the Devils Advocate 2 years ago
Yes, she and your brother very much deserve one another!
#47
One of my relatives house. We weren't allowed to say "shut up". Also whenever we were on the couch, we always had to sit up straight. Seriously, we couldn't lay, lean, or have our feet come in contact with the cushions even a little.
Michelle C 2 years ago
I can understand wanting to keep one’s furniture in good condition and enforcing speaking civilly to one another, to be honest!
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
Plenty of families have a rule against saying shut up. It does get a bit annoying for me as an educator trying to explain to kids that different families ban different words.
#48
My cousin made everyone bring their own dishes and silverware to a party because she didn't want to do dishes/get stuck with the cleanup. When I asked why she didn't just buy disposable plates/utensils, she got mad and said it was a *classy* event.
#49
Not really a weird rule, but mother always says, "When you have a guest at your house, don't let them help you. When you're a guest at someone else's house, help any way you can." Do the math.
#50
My sister lives with her quite eccentric mother in law. I went to visit for what turned out to be a few months. Her mother in law is a hoarder so we had to walk around the halls of junk dodging everything or else stuff would fall on you. Some of the things we weren't allowed to do was to open windows and wash our blankets in the washer. I don't know why. I asked my sister how her mother in law cleaned her blankets and apparently the lady hadn't washed her blankets in years and just sprayed them with febreze.
#51
My parents had a rule of no stomping up the stairs. My dad would make us walk up and down the stairs ten times if we stomped up the stairs. When my friends came home to visit from college (yes, COLLEGE), I had to warn them about this rule. My freshman roommate did indeed have to walk up and down the stairs ten times at least once. I love my dad, but damn that was embarrassing.
#52
One of my friends has a strict rule of banning the viewing of all Pirates of the Caribbean films when alcohol is being consumed.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago
Someone gets a little too carried away I’m guessing (steak knives in the mouth climbing the shower curtains)
#53
I used to play poker at this dudes house who insisted we sit to p**s, and he can hear the difference.
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
There’s nothing wrong with that. It sends to be, uh, cleaner anyway XD less risk of splatters!
CatLady 2 years ago
AMEN! I so appreciate guests who do this. So much less having to clean up peepee splatters from the wall.
Load More Replies... StrangeOne 2 years ago
Tbh, I get worried when men are over and using my washroom. I've had to remind one guy to flush and wash his hands. I had to constantly remind my ex to wash his hands. He insisted men peed with such accuracy and no splatters. The splatter spots were the proof he's a lying idiot.
MRF 2 years ago
Having lived with sons & husband for 25 years, also working in hospital labs (think urinalysis collections), I absolutely applaud this rule. Males are DISGUSTING in the bathroom.
insert name here 2 years ago
Why thank you! (But, despite being a male, I sadly have to agree that the public bathrooms are disgusting)
Load More Replies... Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Yeah, this rule makes total sense. I'm not cleaning up a bunch of other people's urine all over my bathroom floor and toilet seat.
Michelle C 2 years ago
I kind of side with him. I have walked into public toilets wherein women have been just as gross about how they urinate. Why be gross no matter how one relieves himself or herself?
George Paradise 2 years ago
Ya, I stand. Ya, I splatter, it happens. But ya, I clean that p**s up every time. Common decency. Also, wtf is wrong with guys that can't hit a huge a$$ toilet bowl?
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Do you scrub the floor and walls each time? Cause if you don't, then you're not cleaning up after yourself. Sorry.
Load More Replies... #54
Wasn't allowed to eat condiments at said friend's house. At all. His mom said the smell of any sauce or dressing made her gag, so that meant everyone is eating dry a*s chicken sandwiches, and s****y bowls of leaves for dinner. Even in car rides when stopping for fast food, they would just order whatever you asked for "dry", and then ask you for your money to cover your now garbage food.
Noyfb noyfb 2 years ago
Someone in the family was a “super taster” with acute sensitivity to vinegar, fermented foods and piquant foods. A real thing, and source of some discomfort for that person. But to impose that problem on other people?? 100% nutso!!!
Shyla Bouche 2 years ago
I hate all sauces but BBQ sauce. I live alone, other than Bouche, and seldom have company. What little company I get doesn't eat with me, although sometimes we order out. I keep mustard, mayo, catsup, and ranch dressing in case someone would want to eat with me and desire some sort of sauce.
#55
I was required to have a snack the moment I got to my friend’s house after school. They had a whole drawer that was full of great and unhealthy snacks, so I loved it, but it was weird. This rule is still in effect today (am 20 now) when we’re home from college in the summer and hang out.
#56
"Don't touch my dad's D&D books." When I was younger, I thought that was weird. But really, the reason why was because they were falling apart and his dad was worried we would ruin them further.
Rachel Reynolds 2 years ago
understandable, we have a first addition D&D book, as well as a book for a system that isn't even published anymore (Arcanum)
Old Roadie 2 years ago
Circa 1979: my son and I got started in D&D. Still play, 4 generations and going strong. Library of books, maps, char sheets and dice. It's better to teach kids how to handle the books instead of denying access.
#57
My bf's mother thinks hoodies are the same as coats and they're not allowed to be worn inside.
USMCFelicia 2 years ago
So next time you're over bf's house, if you're okay with this, and assuming you're female, conviently forget to wear anything under your hoodie or even just a bra and I bet she won't have an issue with hoodies inside any longer lol.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I'm guessing if you live in a place that gets regular snow you don't wear your coats inside because they might drip? Do the people wearing hoodies wear a coat over them on the way to the house? Or is it summer/the house warm so if you wear a hoodie you might sweat and smell? IDK, trying to find some logic
#58
I stayed with a friend for most of my highschool years. His parents disallowed me from cooking their bacon because they didn't like the way I sealed the remaining uncooked bacon into a large zip lock bag. Also I was specifically not allowed to be upstairs while they weren't home because that's where my friend's sister's room was.
#59
They don't use napkins. Ever. The worst part of that rule was that they served corn-on-the-cob (without corn holders) and ribs for dinner one night.
Carla Campbell 2 years ago
Eww. Had dinner at a friend's house years ago. No napkins. They passed around a towel.
#60
Bring your own linens (sheets, pillowcase, towels, etc.). Just a friends house, not a rental or anything.
#61
Make your bed "first thing" upon waking up. Breakfast would not happen until the guest room was "neat and tidy" (*their* words).
Heather W 2 years ago
Making the bed right when you wake up seals in all the sweat from the night. Best to let it air out.
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#62
I have to go to church in the morning if I stay over
#63
I went to dinner at my friend's house. As we were sitting at the table, she and her whole family sang a song before we ate. It was like praying before the meal, but in song form. I just sat there awkwardly.
#64
My friends mom was an absolute nut case. The living room that had the street facing window next to the front door was caller the forbidden room. It had furniture and everything and no one could step foot in it. The first couple times I was playing with the kids that lived there she wouldn't let me get a cup of water in blistering heat. Suggested i drink from the hose.
#65
Visited a friend from a different state whose parents were apparently very wealthy. They had a 2nd living room fully equipped with nice furniture. Couldn’t sit on the couch.
Old Roadie 2 years ago (edited)
Another parlor. Guess most houses with parlors have been repurposed to apartments. Suspect those taken over by AirB&B, which is creating a shortage and forcing young people out of the housing market. I'm so sorry young people are faced with this housing crisis. EDIT: didn't have to be wealthy to have a parlor.
#66
Friend of mine when I was a kid had a step mom that had plastic runners placed throughout the house and all the furniture covered in clear plastic covers. You had to take your shoes off outside on the porch and could only walk on the plastic runners. You were not allowed to sit on any furniture with a plastic cover on it. Between the front door and my friend's room I didn't see any furniture without covers on it. You couldn't sit down until you got to his room. Strange woman.
#67
My aunt would tell us that we were't allowed to use conditioner, only shampoo, when showering at their house because conditioner was bad for the pipes. She would remind us of this every time we would shower.
Rachel Reynolds 2 years ago
Seriously, I couldn't drag a comb though my hair without conditioner.
Load More Replies... #68
No interrupting Alex Trebek during dinner.
My family ate around a table and discussed ideas but whenever I had a sleep over at my best friend's house, they just sat in front of the TV and answered trivial facts about people.
That was some weird a*s s**t!
Red_panda 2 years ago
This was similar to my house. During dinner we could all talk and converse like normal, but the SECOND the weather came on my grandpa would pick up the remote and turn up the volume (it was very low, almost muted up to that point). That was cue for everyone to stop talking. Midsentence everyone would just shut up until the weather was over and the volume would be turned back down. Then conversation would resume.
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
We’re finally getting Jeopardy! here in the UK and it’s going to be hosted by Stephen Fry.
Heather W 2 years ago
My bf was hospitalized with the new virus March 13. In and out of ICU. Every time he was transferred I warned the nurses not to talk during Jeopardy. And to pass it on. One forgot when I was visiting him one day and he yelled "less talking!" She laughed and said sorry, she forgot. He's an original hippie (he's 71 and still likes his pot), generally sweet and laid back, but you do NOT talk during Jeopardy lol
#69
A friend invited me and my family for dinner. She had towel on the chairs in case my kids (ages 5 and 8) would drop food. The thing is she had towels on the adult’s chairs too...
#70
I don’t know if this counts because it was only one time, but during Meredith’s dance party of ‘07 if you stopped dancing you had to leave.
#71
It wasn't the rule itself, it was the way he implemented it. Was a friends house playing poker, like 10 of us in the building, and one friend curls his feet underneath him on the couch, still wearing his shoes. 'No shoes on the furniture' is a perfectly acceptable rule, but the way the host explained it was by randomly shouting "SHOES!! SHOES!! SHOES!!" at the guy. The entire group sat there in shock, as the other 8 of us were not involved at all and had no clue what was happening, and the offender froze, I think more out of shock at the yelling, not comprehending what he was hearing. The yelling went on for like 10 seconds before the guy figured out what was happening and fixed his positioning. The rest of us were "WTF" for a good bit more, and then we began tormenting the host for his weird a*s behavior. "SHOES!! SHOES!! SHOES!!" ended up being a catch phrase for a while, whenever someone was caught doing something dumb.
#72
I have a friend who annoyed a host by sitting with her feet up on their sofa. She was just sitting tucked up, feet beneath her, and he was upset because her shoeless feet were on his sofa.
#73
They wanted me to keep my shoes on for some reason
Pretty Pink Sky Photography 2 years ago
I lived with a family for a while who made everyone wear socks because the oils in the feet would ruin the carpet.
#74
Had a friend that wouldn't let anyone in the kitchen, and when you was asked to help with something in the kitchen you was not allowed to talk in there or anything. Was very odd.
Jessica Shookhoff 2 years ago
Oh, ok, this one is easy: ADHD. Not for everyone with it, but, some of us get so distracted that we can't safely use knives or deal with hot food if someone's talking to us. It's a safety issue, but it does suck. I'd love to be able to talk to someone while I cooked without burning or cutting myself!
#75
No washing your hands in the kitchen sink but adults were required to wash their hands before dinner. No outside clothes allowed on/in the bed.
Rita Bukucs 2 years ago
Maybe it's more polite to wash your hands in the bathroom maybe?! I don't find weird the second one at all. Have you ever travelled by public transport or just sitting in a bench?
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
For our food handling certification at work (after school care) handwashing has to have a dedicated sink that isn't the one used for dishes, so I kind of understand that one, but I don't follow it at my own home. The second one is very understandable. I don't even like wearing pyjamas to bed if I have worn them around the house all day.
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Angela 2 years ago
As a child, my family lived on a farm next to my cousin's farm. When my sister and I would go over there to play, we were never allowed in the house. Even if it was raining, we had to stay on the porch. It really made me feel quite less than to not ever be allowed in my own relatives' house.
Ash Conner 2 years ago
That's mental abuse. I understand not wanting the house to get messy but to do this to your own family and to make them play in the porch when it's raining is not right. It would make me feel like I wasn't in there in family either
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amanda strachan 2 years ago
I realise people have their little idiosyncrasies, but many of these rules sound to stem from mental health issues.
Betsy Ray 2 years ago (edited)
Oh more please. My friends' families were absurdly normal. Except for the Norwegian parents. I had to call first because the entire family wore no clothes around the house as a rule.
Mabelbabel 2 years ago
Most of these sound worryingly abusive, not quirky, and some of them sound dangerous. My step-kids have no contact with their bio-mom, and their maternal grandparents only see them once a year at most (we've tried to encourage them to develop a relationship, but the grandparents let the kids down so many times-not turning up for visits, cancelling plans at the last minute, not bothering with Xmas or birthdays etc). Out of the blue, they asked the kids to stay for the weekend. They emailed through a list of instructions-no denim jeans allowed (too casual and disrespectful), no shorts or sports gear (ditto, plus flesh being exposed), no electronics, phones or games, and my stepdaughter wasn't allowed leggings (they considered that as underwear). They also demanded she bring a full length bath robe and any time she was out of her bedroom, she had to wear the robe so her figure was hidden. We declined the visit.
Becklass 2 years ago (edited)
When my son was in his early teens he had a friend that had very weird family rules. The “man of the house” got his food first at mealtimes and took as much as he wanted. Then the male kids and lastly anyone female got what was left. He also had to leave the house ALL DAY every Valentine’s Day. He’d turn up on our doorstep poor lad. His Dad must have been awful to live with and really appeared to despise women especially those who weren’t submissive.
Rachel Reynolds 2 years ago
All I do is quiz my kid's friends about Star Wars and try to get them to join my son's D&D game...
Robert A Reider Jr 2 years ago
My family didn't announce any rules. But if you happened to break one 🙀
AK to LV 2 years ago
Where I grew up, the water and sewer lines were not expanded when the city started growing. A lot of houses had water delivered and septic tanks for sewer. Mostly the rules were to not let the water run and use as little as possible. The main rule was 'if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down.' You could flush if you had your period though.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
We had that rule during the drought years in Australia. And keep showers to 4 mins (everyone was sent a free 4 minute timer).
Load More Replies... Angela 2 years ago
As a child, my family lived on a farm next to my cousin's farm. When my sister and I would go over there to play, we were never allowed in the house. Even if it was raining, we had to stay on the porch. It really made me feel quite less than to not ever be allowed in my own relatives' house.
Ash Conner 2 years ago
That's mental abuse. I understand not wanting the house to get messy but to do this to your own family and to make them play in the porch when it's raining is not right. It would make me feel like I wasn't in there in family either
Load More Replies... amanda strachan 2 years ago
I realise people have their little idiosyncrasies, but many of these rules sound to stem from mental health issues.
Betsy Ray 2 years ago (edited)
Oh more please. My friends' families were absurdly normal. Except for the Norwegian parents. I had to call first because the entire family wore no clothes around the house as a rule.
Mabelbabel 2 years ago
Most of these sound worryingly abusive, not quirky, and some of them sound dangerous. My step-kids have no contact with their bio-mom, and their maternal grandparents only see them once a year at most (we've tried to encourage them to develop a relationship, but the grandparents let the kids down so many times-not turning up for visits, cancelling plans at the last minute, not bothering with Xmas or birthdays etc). Out of the blue, they asked the kids to stay for the weekend. They emailed through a list of instructions-no denim jeans allowed (too casual and disrespectful), no shorts or sports gear (ditto, plus flesh being exposed), no electronics, phones or games, and my stepdaughter wasn't allowed leggings (they considered that as underwear). They also demanded she bring a full length bath robe and any time she was out of her bedroom, she had to wear the robe so her figure was hidden. We declined the visit.
Becklass 2 years ago (edited)
When my son was in his early teens he had a friend that had very weird family rules. The “man of the house” got his food first at mealtimes and took as much as he wanted. Then the male kids and lastly anyone female got what was left. He also had to leave the house ALL DAY every Valentine’s Day. He’d turn up on our doorstep poor lad. His Dad must have been awful to live with and really appeared to despise women especially those who weren’t submissive.
Rachel Reynolds 2 years ago
All I do is quiz my kid's friends about Star Wars and try to get them to join my son's D&D game...
Robert A Reider Jr 2 years ago
My family didn't announce any rules. But if you happened to break one 🙀
AK to LV 2 years ago
Where I grew up, the water and sewer lines were not expanded when the city started growing. A lot of houses had water delivered and septic tanks for sewer. Mostly the rules were to not let the water run and use as little as possible. The main rule was 'if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down.' You could flush if you had your period though.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
We had that rule during the drought years in Australia. And keep showers to 4 mins (everyone was sent a free 4 minute timer).
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