I opened the fridge and my eyes darted around. Nope, can’t take raw eggs to work for lunch. There’s a block of cheese, some guacamole… Ooh, black beans! Jackpot! I looked over at my son who was clipping his lunchbox to his backpack, and he said, “Mom, this is why we pack our lunches the night before.”
He was right. I was going into the office on a day I normally don’t, and I hadn’t planned my breakfast or lunch. I said to him, “I can’t imagine if we had to pack lunch every morning. It’d be a hot mess in here.” Packing lunches in the evening is a rule we set a long time ago, and it helps our mornings run much more smoothly. There are a lot of other house rules for kids that are total game-changers. Here are 21 of the most useful I’ve heard or set for my family.
Some house rules for kids cut down on chaos.
1. Don’t come out to the breakfast table until you’re completely ready for school—hair, teeth, shoes. It makes for a calmer and more efficient breakfast. Then use flossers on the way to school.
2. Make bedtime and lights out two specific times. The quicker the kids get their bedtime routine done, the more time they can spend reading. If lights out is 9 o’clock and it takes until 8:55 to get settled, that only leaves five minutes to read.
3. If you have a child who wears an article of clothing for five minutes and then puts it in the dirty laundry pile, use my You Toss It, You Wash It rule. If you catch him putting clean clothes in the hamper, he gets to do the next load from start to finish.
4. Have little ones who are early risers? On the weekend, the child who gets out of bed last (potty doesn’t count) gets to decide what’s for breakfast.
Others keep things clean or tidy.
5. In warm months, keep school shoes in the car. Have the kids walk out in flip-flops and socks. Then on the way home, shoes come off, and flip-flops go back on. Warning: You might have to revisit this rule as your kids’ feet get smellier.
6. If your kids don’t wear uniforms, put a hanging shoe rack on their bedroom doors. On Sundays, have the kids load them up with outfits for the week—socks and hairbows included.
7. Whoever brushes his teeth last cleans the sink before exiting the bathroom. This is a great house rule for kids who spit a lot of toothpaste back into the sink. It also gets them moving more quickly in the morning.
8. If you finish off a staple item, tell Mom or add it to the grocery list on the fridge.
9. Make your bed every day. It instantly makes the room look tidier and sets the intention for the day.
10. The “everything in its place” rule says that before bed, everything should be set for the next morning. School clothes are set on dressers, and backpacks are packed and set by the door. Breakfast plates and cups can even be set out.
11. The “important papers” rule says that if something needs to be signed, reviewed, or approved, it has to go in a designated spot. Mom’s not responsible for signing a progress report that’s stuffed at the bottom of your backpack.
12. Earn bonus TV time while folding laundry. Folding time equals screen time.
And some help family members show love and respect.
13. Use T.H.I.N.K. to choose your words. Is what you’re about to say true, honest, important/inspiring, necessary, and kind?
14. The hand-on-the-shoulder rule is helpful if your child wants your attention while you’re talking. Instead of interrupting, she puts a hand on your shoulder. Then, if you don’t want her standing there while you’re trying to have a conversation, touch her hand to acknowledge her need. This is a nonverbal conversation that communicates “I need you, Mom” and “I see you, and I’ll be with you in a moment.”
15. If Mom or Dad calls your name, the proper response is not to shout back, “Yeah?” It is to come to wherever Mom or Dad is.
Others minimize fighting or arguments.
16. When splitting or portioning out food, one cuts or scoops and the other gets to choose the plate. We call it “One divides, the other decides!”
17. Post the dinner plan for the week. Kids get one veto and can swap the meal for their official veto meal which is the same every time and is something they can prepare themselves.
18. After dinner and dessert (if you have it), the kitchen is closed. If the kids are still hungry, they can have a piece of fruit.
19. Mom always gives a time’s-up heads-up. It’s a five- to 10-minute countdown to turning screens off. When time’s up, no complaining.
And some house rules for kids keep them safe.
20. No screens in the bathroom. Closed doors and the internet are a bad combination.
21. No locked doors. Kids’ bedroom doors can only be closed with a parent’s permission and never when friends are over.
What house rules for kids do you have in place to help keep your family life running smoothly?
