House Rules

A couple of weeks ago I sat down at the kitchen table with the kids and I let them come up with the house rules. I was tired of keeping the rules in my head, and I thought if we actually wrote them down (and I let them help) it might cut down on a lot of chaos around here. I put the rules on the fridge, and when a rule is broken, all I have to do is point in the general direction of the kitchen and remind them of the list we made. Works pretty well.

These are the rules the kids dictated to me. Some things they told me were very specific, so I didn't write down *all* of their rules. If I had, the list would be as long as the Alabama Constitution (with 777 amendments, it holds the record for the most amended state constitution. If you have about 3 days, it's a comical read).

Anyhow, here are the rules for our household:

(1) No screaming at parents or siblings
(2) No Light Saber fighting except in your bedrooms or outside
(3) No hitting people or throwing things
(4) No running inside
(5) No stomping
(6) No sneaking food - always ask permission before getting a snack
(7) No playing on the couches
(8) No snatching
(9) No pinching or biting
(10) Everyone makes their beds and gets dressed in the morning before playing or eating (in the summer I let this one slide a bit...)
(11) The den is not a playroom! No toys in the den.
(12) No arguing. If you need an argument settled, find a parent.
(13) No pulling on the curtains
(14) Respect people when they're talking
(15) Do not say "NO" to Mom or Dad when they tell you to do something
(16) No fighting over seats (this is a problem at mealtimes, 'cause everyone wants to sit in the 2 seats that face the den TV, even though we usually turn it off)
(17) No kicking each other
(18) No standing on tables
(19) No slamming doors
(20) No locking doors
(21) Be delightful at the dinner table