Family Rules.

We played Candyland yesterday afternoon, and again last night after supper. Ziggy wanted to both challenge, AND follow the rules. We talked about how it's important to know rules, to follow them, and to work together.

Clearly, there are some dumb rules in the world. I'm not talking about those. Nor am I saying that I want my child to be a blind follower.

What I am saying is that rules are important in terms of providing a known structure -- they help us accomplish things, have proper expectations for a given environment and create cohesion.

With these things in mind, over lunch, I prompted Ziggy with some questions about what kind of rules made a family (OUR family in particular) operational and happy. Here's what he came up with. Feel free to apply as necessary!

Family Rules.

* If you spill yogurt, you ask a mom to help you.

* Please be nice:
-- use nice words
-- use gentle hands
-- give Daddy a kiss

* Clean up messes (as they are made,) like cracker crumbs or toys.

* The number one job for the mom and the dad is to keep their kids safe.

* Moms and dads be nice; show that by giving each other hugs.

* Take care of the animals in the family:
-- feed them food
-- give them breakfast
-- let them go outside
-- pet them
-- give Bert baths and brush him

* Put shoes in the shoe cubby.

* Play Candyland in the night, go out to breakfast in the night, exercise together, and read together. Have fun.

* Give hugs & kisses to show we love each other.

* Work with each other. That's called cooperation.

* Give the moms and dads alone time.

* The kid needs some boy time.

* Keep your hands to yourself (unless we touch each other nicely.)

* Tell Daddy "thank you" for everything. Amen.

* Like each other.

* Do things that people want to do, like read a book.

Those are, Ziggy and I agreed, good rules for our family.

What are YOUR family rules?