A recent survey has listed the top 50 house rules Britons set in their homes and while some are pretty sensible — such as don’t leave wet towels on the floor — some just baffle me.
Number 36 is ‘kids not allowed in parents’ bedrooms’, while number 49 is ‘no ball games in the garden’.
Really?
I would never turn down a cuddle in bed with my baby and if a kid can’t play with a ball in their own garden, where can they?
To me, rules such as no shoes on the sofa are common sense while others, like put away your shoes when you take them off, are essential to the smooth running of a busy family home.
Growing up both of these had to be followed and now in my own home they too are implemented.
Other rules however are for safety — the last to bed checks the locks and no items lying on the stairs.
What are your house rules? And how strictly are they enforced?
Some house rules laid down by my colleagues are:
Fiona – tidy up after yourself
Abbey – dirty clothes in the laundry basket, clean clothes put away
Lisa – put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher