While every household is different, if we all look back on our childhood, we can probably recall some weird rules that our parents imposed on us. While they might have been the kind of rules we didn’t understand at the time, now that we’re adults, we can see how they made us into the person we are today — an upstanding member of society. Here are some things your parents insisted on that ultimately made you a better person.
1. No snacks before dinner.
You’re home from school, you’ve had an after-school snack, but you’re still hungry — and you know that dinner is still hours away. However, you can’t ask your parents for food because you know how they feel about pre-dinner snacks. While you might have found this weird, as an adult, you understand how it’s helped you with delayed gratification. You find it easy to wait until dinner to eat and don’t fill up on empty calories beforehand.
2. You had to make your bed in the morning.
No matter how late for school you were, you remember your parents always marching you back into your room so that you could make your bed. They started imposing this rule early on and made you do it all through middle and high school. Looking back, you’re thankful they did because it helped you learn the importance of routine and being responsible for yourself. Plus, there are plenty of mental health benefits to making your bed as well, per Verywell Mind, including improved focus and stress reduction.
3. You earned TV time.
All your friends could turn the TV on when they got home from school and lounge around until dinner. Not you, though. When you got home from school as a kid, your mom had a list of chores you had to complete before you could watch your favorite cartoons, from sweeping the driveway to taking the trash out. Now, you like watching TV, but it’s not a dealbreaker — you love exploring your passions, like drawing, reading, or even photography. Your parents left you room to use your imagination and get creative because they didn’t allow you to resort to TV time.
4. Cleaned up after yourself.
You remember that when you were a child, you were expected to take your plate to the sink, rinse it off, and put it in the dishwasher after dinner. You were also expected to clear the table of other things, like the salt and pepper shaker and your younger sibling’s plates. Cleaning up after yourself was a big deal in your household, and it taught you to be considerate of those around you. As an adult, you know to leave environments better than you found them.
5. You weren’t allowed to interrupt.
You were allowed to say your piece whenever there was a family meeting or conversation about a serious topic. Still, no way interrupting would be tolerated. You were sent to your room if you did talk over your parents. While you remember being annoyed by this and feeling like they lectured at you, now you can see the benefit of it. Not only did it teach you how to be polite, but it allowed you to learn essential listening skills.
6. You had a strict bedtime.
Whether it was the height of summer or the middle of winter, your bedtime remained the same. You knew that many of your friends were allowed to go to bed whenever they wanted, but when it came to your household, your parents had a set bedtime, which they imposed every time. You used to find it weird, but as an adult, you appreciate this consistency to foster good sleep patterns and better sleep hygiene in general.
7. You had to finish your dinner.
One of the rules you remember from childhood that you found weird was when your parents made you finish everything on your plate. Even if it was something you didn’t like, like Brussels sprouts or boiled cabbage, you still had to eat it, and your parents would sit there and wait until you’d scraped up the last mouthful. You got frustrated as a kid, but now you’re thankful -it’s taught you not to be wasteful and that not everyone gets to choose what and how much they eat.
8. You had to be part of family time.
When you were a child, many of your friends got to go to their room after dinner and play video games or read while their parents cleaned up after dinner and did their own thing. However, you remember your parents imposing mandatory family time. Every Thursday, you and your siblings had to convene in the lounge, where you played board games together or had trivia night. As an adult, you’re thankful for this because you’re still super close with your family and have great relationships with your siblings.
9. You had to do your homework.
In your house, homework wasn’t optional when you were a kid. Not only did you have to do it before you got to do anything else you wanted to do, like watch TV or play outside, but it had to be done correctly. Your parents would check it when you finished to ensure you weren’t taking any shortcuts. It annoyed you at the time, but now you can see the benefits of it — you’re self-disciplined and have a strong work ethic.
10. You had to bathe with your siblings.
When you were a lot younger, in elementary school, a lot of the time, you either had to use the bath after your siblings or you had to bathe together. You rolled your eyes plenty at this weird rule, but now you see the reason for it. You know that water is a precious resource, and your parents were trying to teach you not to waste it for the environment’s sake.
11. Your parents monitored your internet use.
When you were younger, the internet wasn’t a given in your household — it was a privilege you earned and used wisely. When you could access the internet, your parents had to know what you were doing. You had to do it in a room where they could see the screen. Now that you’re older and see the potential danger the internet presents to children, you completely understand why your parents had this rule.
12. You had to take naps.
When you were a lot younger, your parents ensured you got an afternoon nap after lunch, even when you were about to start school. You thought this a bit strange at the time, but you understand it now — your parents saw your need for some downtime so that you didn’t get too overwhelmed or overstimulated. As hard as you work now as an adult, you also understand the importance of taking time out.
13. If it was cold, you had to wear a coat.
Where you lived as a child, the winters got pretty cold. However, you never really felt it because you ran around a lot. Your parents didn’t care, though. They made you wear a sweater or a coat whenever you went outside, no matter what the weather was doing. You rolled your eyes at the time, but now you see they were trying to protect you and teach you the importance of taking care of yourself.
14. You had to greet your parent’s friends.
Manners were a big thing in your household, including saying hello to your parent’s friends. Whenever your parents had friends over for dinner, you weren’t allowed to hide in your room — you had to come downstairs, look them in the eye, and say hello. You didn’t have to hang out all evening, but they made a point of you greeting them when they first arrived. This has fostered good social skills that you’ve carried into your adulthood.
15. No elbows on the table.
When you ate together as a family, it wasn’t a free-for-all. There were rules around how you could eat. Of course, you had to eat with your mouth closed, but you also had to keep your elbows off the table. While you thought this was a fuddy-duddy rule, now you see the benefit of it. As an adult, you’re conscious of your manners when eating with someone, allowing them to see you as respectable.
