Decide What's Important And Set Clear Guidelines (House Rules)

All families are different.  We all have different things that are important to us and we all have different commitments such as work, school activities, etc. Only you the parent/s can decide what house rules fit your own family.

NOTE: I am a firm believer in doing what works for you and your family.  What works wonderfully for the Jones family across the road could be a very bad match for your own family. 

Top Tips

• Sit down and decide what is important to you.  Perhaps early bedtimes and healthy meals are important to you but sitting at the table isn't.  Only you can decide.
• Once you know what's important set your house rules. Don't go overboard though.  Nobody likes every minute of the day to be taken up by rules. 
• Let everyone in the household know the house rules.  Be clear about what each rule means and give examples whenever possible.
• Stick to the rules.  Kids and teens need consistency. 
• Evaluate the rules every few months to see if they still fit your family.