6 Dumb Household Rules You Hated Growing Up, but Now Totally Understand

[Thesauron]

1. Making Your Bed

Then: Why bother? I'm just going to use it again tonight!

 

Now: Making your bed every morning correlates with better productivity. It has also been suggested that making your bed boosts happiness.

 

2. Not Wearing Shoes in the House

Then: But I'm going back outside in 10 minutes!

 

Now: Once you think of the dirt that gets tracked in with every footfall, you also think of all the time you spend vacuuming the floor. Multiply that by all your family members' shoes, and slippers or bare feet sound like a much better idea.

 

3. No Television After 10pm

Then: But Mom!?! Fantasy Island is on!

 

Now: Today, it's not just TV but phones, iPads, video games and computers. Taking time to detox from tech, especially right before bed, reduces anxiety and helps you

 

4. Turning Off Lights

Then: What's the big deal?

 

Now: It's the little things that add up, and turning off lights when you don't need them is the first baby step to saving money and energy. It's a new world of consumption, we have a new mindset about wasting energy.

 

5. No Elbows on the Table

Then: But it's more comfortable to sit that way!

 

Now: Originally, elbows off the table prevented diners from hogging space and minimized the effects of bad hygiene (think stinky medieval times, before regular bathing was a thing). Now, it's all about sight lines and letting people on either side of you talk without have to lean way, way back in their chairs. Plus, many still think it's rude, so why offend your fellow guests at a fancy party?

 

6. Hanging Up Your Jacket

Then: Sorry, I forgot!

 

Now: A day's worth of jackets on the backs of chairs, and shoes on the floor, accumulate quickly, which can rapidly turn to a house disaster zone. And, if the mess and clutter don't stay in check, you can't focus on the million other things you have to do. Today it makes sense to take a second to hang up your outerwear, and ask others to do the same.

 

Did your family have any rules you hated, but understand now?

 

From Apartment Therapy.

 

 

Johan

[Stoffer]

4 hours ago, Thesauron said:

1. Making Your Bed

2. Not Wearing Shoes in the House

3. No Television After 10pm

4. Turning Off Lights

5. No Elbows on the Table

6. Hanging Up Your Jacket

My replies (all for now, obviously): 

1) Why bother? I'm just going to use it again tonight!

2) Marble floors so no shoes would be sooo cold. Totally agree for carpets though.

3) Most things we want to watch are on t'Internet anyway. We go to bed later in Spain but it's a good rule. Might try that!

4) Not such a big deal when we are in the house as they are all LED so don't cost much.

5) Not bothered either way. Whatever's more comfortable. That's not considered bad manners where I currently live. Besides we eat a lot on the sofa - problem solved!

6) The back of the assigned chair will do fine ... but only that chair!

[EccentricM]

I don't really recall any rules, we all just... behaved.  Hanging up my coat... never really thought about it, just did it. Never liked being untidy since I was a toddler. I even recall crying when I had chocolate on my hands or face. Wanted it gone immediately. Never played in the mud or climbed trees. Wasn't that type of kid. Taking shoes off in the house came automatically, just was something we always did without thinking about it. We all knew how mom felt about dirt and that rubbed off on us by her example. So we'd never walk in the house with shoes from our own desire to not get dirt inside the house. We never had elbows on the table rules, we never saw a need for it, though we never did according to my mother, so there was perhaps never a need to be told in the first place and that's why we never actually were ever told.

 

The only thing I was told to do is keep my room tidy, which would often get messy because I was always getting things out, and I would come out with "I haven't put my things away because I'm still using them!". Never had any house hold chores.  Yet interestingly wasn't spoiled. We wouldn't dare step out of line, since my mother's bad side was... well intimidating.  But we rarely ever saw it as there was rarely never a need.  

 

The only rule was to behave really, no actual to-do list or do nots. If we ever did anything wrong, we'd know about it and never do it again. 

 

 

[Julieann]

On making beds, I have only so much energy. No one else goes in my room, so not going to use the energy for it.

 

Another rule we have in the house: Put dates on top of opened containers in the fridge. Yeah, it's annoying, but not as painful as getting sick from food that has turned. Not to mention it saves on the food bills, as you know what is getting older and needs to be used up faster.

[nanceebgd46]

 Julieann...

That's a beautiful pictorial scene you chose for yourself.

[Thesauron]

I don't really recall any rules, we all just... behaved.  Hanging up my coat... never really thought about it, just did it. Never liked being untidy since I was a toddler. I even recall crying when I had chocolate on my hands or face. Wanted it gone immediately. Never played in the mud or climbed trees. Wasn't that type of kid. Taking shoes off in the house came automatically, just was something we always did without thinking about it. We all knew how mom felt about dirt and that rubbed off on us by her example. So we'd never walk in the house with shoes from our own desire to not get dirt inside the house. We never had elbows on the table rules, we never saw a need for it, though we never did according to my mother, so there was perhaps never a need to be told in the first place and that's why we never actually were ever told.
 
The only thing I was told to do is keep my room tidy, which would often get messy because I was always getting things out, and I would come out with "I haven't put my things away because I'm still using them!". Never had any house hold chores.  Yet interestingly wasn't spoiled. We wouldn't dare step out of line, since my mother's bad side was... well intimidating.  But we rarely ever saw it as there was rarely never a need.  
 
The only rule was to behave really, no actual to-do list or do nots. If we ever did anything wrong, we'd know about it and never do it again. 
 
 

Maybe we should hear from your mom or siblings too?


Johan

[Josho]

Agree with all except elbows on the table. It's pretty rare for guests to be sitting on either side of you in everyday life, unless you come from a huge family. But if you find yourself in that situation by all means remove them. And if someone gets offended over this they definitely need some loosening up  

[Tortuga]

10 hours ago, Julieann said:

Another rule we have in the house: Put dates on top of opened containers in the fridge.

How did your date feel about that?