House Rules- Hi everybody! I hope you are all feeling bright and ready for a fantastic new week. It’s tough hitting the grind again but there are many reasons to love Mondays. And joining in with the monthly ‘Not Just A Mom’ link-up is always a great way to start off the working week.
Today we are going to chat about ‘House Rules’. I honestly feel that a happy home really needs a solid foundation, and that’s where house rules come in! If we set clear, positive and fair house rules then this helps to create a safe, harmonious and enjoyable environment for our family.
House rules give us structure as well as stability. They make our home a safe space where we can express our values, priorities and expectations. In addition, having house rules sets the tone for healthy communication and also encourages responsibility.
I live with my husband and our eighteen-year-old son and we have a few simple rules that help us coexist in harmony. Of course, realistically speaking not every day can be sunshine and rainbows but these rules certainly do help!
House Rules
Respect Each Other’s Belongings
This means no borrowing my phone charger without permission!
Clean Up After Yourself
If everyone pitches in and doesn’t leave a mess after themselves then the mess doesn’t pile up. So we have a few rules that really make a difference.
- If you make yourself something to eat in the kitchen then pack everything away and wipe any spills
- Squeegee the shower after each use to keep it shiny and free of water spots. This makes cleaning the bathrooms so much easier!
- Put your dirty clothes in the clothes hamper.
Communication Is Key
If something is bothering us, we talk about it instead of letting it fester. And if someone needs alone time we try and respect that. Now that’s the rule but here is the reality. I’m not great at expressing what is bothering me and I’m working on it.
However, my husband and son are both much better at it! Seriously sometimes I think I brought the wrong kid home from the hospital. Because Sam is so calm and communicates very maturely. He doesn’t let things build up and really values times when we sit down as a family and talk. Wait I just realised that I did indeed bring the right kid home from the hospital. It’s just that he clearly takes after his dad. Hehe!
Chores For All
We all have a few household responsibilities to keep things running smoothly. From taking out the recycling and rubbish, emptying the dishwasher, and feeding the cat.
Mind Your Manners
It’s much more fun to be around people who are polite and respectful. So we really value good manners by using “please” and thank you” and treating each other with kindness and consideration.
Knock Before You Come In!
This house rule is a high-priority one. And we all make sure that we knock before we enter a room if the door is closed. This shows respect for privacy and respect of personal space. None of us wants to have someone walk in on us if we’re half-dressed!
No Swearing
I guess no swearing is not really a ‘rule’ as such. It’s more that we just don’t swear at home (not out loud anyway š)
Check-In
We check in with each other if we are running late or out longer than expected. This helps to stop mama from catastrophising!
Having a set of house rules in my home with my husband and eighteen-year-old is the key to creating a harmonious household. Whether it’s taking turns feeding the cat, putting out the garbage or checking in when we’re out. These small actions all add up to create a good vibe at home.
But it’s important to remember that no one is perfect and believe me we do mess up from time to time. However it’s not about being perfect, it’s about trying. After all mistakes and rough times are an opportunity to learn and grow.
Linking up with Holly and Sarah
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My daughter always forgets to tell me when she decides to stay late at school! And then I’m always wondering where she is!
Great rules – being considerate impacts so much of a home’s interactions. #MMBC
Those are very good guidelines to have in place. I like your specific reference to your phone charger!! š
Love your house rules. I need to add knock before you enter to our list. My kids are horrible with this.
These are all really sensible rules. Respecting each other, cleaning up and communication are really good rules and make home life a lot easier. x
We do have most of these… though as they’ve aged the no swearing rule has seemed to vanish and since my husband has always swore I can’t really make too much of a fuss; I’m just glad they made it into near adulthood before doing so.
I love the fact that most of your rules are based around kindness, consideration, and respect. Those three attributes make life much easier to manage.
Checking in and knocking have definitely become good rules/courtesies as my kids have gotten older. Thanks for joining our link up.
having a rule that you all communicate well probably ensures that all the other rules work well also! We also expected everyone’s privacy and personal space to be respected in our house.
Your house rules sound perfectly fine. I tried the no swearing rule but with four adults and two teens at home it just doesn’t work. I’m the only one that doesn’t swear, and when I do they all know something is really wrong.