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Original poster

Rules you had in your childhood that now seem bizarre?

999 replies

Tattted · 05/02/2022 17:20

As a child/teen living with my parents we were actively discouraged from showering/bathing everyday. It was really frowned upon and seen as unnecessary and probably a bit extravagant. I know probably as a young child I didn’t need to but as I got older and even after I turned 18 and was still living at home they would have been a bit annoyed about it if I wanted to shower everyday . I should say where we live has no water charges so it wasn’t about that. Now as an adult and a mother myself it seems so strange. I realise it’s probably because my parents both came from large families that had very little money and, back then, no hot running water. Even know my parents bath weekly but sink wash every day.

OP posts:
Justmuddlingalong · 07/02/2022 18:45

I had a hot lunch at school and therefore didn't need more than a sandwich for dinner. I was such a scrawny wee scrap right up until I left home.

Houseofvelour · 07/02/2022 18:48

@Houseofvelour

My sisters and I had to make all the cups of tea for our parents (they usually had one an hour) and we had to stop whatever we doing to make it. Once I was in my bedroom doing coursework for my GCSE's and walked past the kitchen and upstairs to tell me to make him a cup of tea. When I asked him if he could do it I got a real dressing down.

I'm 32 and still hate making cups of tea.

*my dad walked past the kitchen
blyn72 · 07/02/2022 18:50

[quote sweetbellyhigh]@justasking111
absolutelynotfabulous
For those not able to read Enid Blyton, what was the rationale? (I remember she was somewhat frowned upon for a while but could never understand why).

Too middle class with the lashings of ginger beer, daddy a scientist, mummy away so cook organised picnic food. Their names too middle class.

Well that's a reason I haven't heard before 😂

Ww weren't allowed to red them yet our father was a scientist and our names not dissimilar to those in some in Famous Five.

The reason given to us that the quality of writing was poor. The more widely held view was that the books were racist and sexist. Which is true, but they also had the magical ingredient of children being in their own world tearing through life unimpeded by grown ups.[/quote]
At my school we were told that Enid Blyton books were unsuitable because of her poor use of the English language. Some of the girls read them anyway. I didn't, I don't think I've ever read a Blyton, but my parents wouldn't have cared if I did.

Truffle55 · 07/02/2022 19:00

This is such a brilliant post. My parents were remarkably relaxed with me (even in the 70’s) and embraced my more creative side. something I, as a parent now, might not be so forgiving about. But i do remember never being allowed toys with small parts out without newspaper being laid down first… just in case it made a mess! (God forbid). My DS, can have and do whatever he likes when staying there… small parts, big parts, one hundred parts… all over the floor - it doesn’t matter. It makes me giggle now. Smile

riceuten · 07/02/2022 19:04

LOADS of bizarre stuff about open windows, chills, germs getting in, but then airing bedrooms until they were freezing cold before getting into bed - a warm bedroom was "unhealthy". But leaving a window open downstairs would "let germs in" or cause a chill if you sat next to it. Same with opening windows in cars, trains and buses. None of it made any sense at all. I still find the "dying from an open window" when travelling in Eastern Europe.

Having to have a wash when you'd played out, because playing out was dirty...which I could understand if it had been hours in the hot blazing sun, but this was applied to walking 5 minutes to the letterbox in winter as well.

Couldn't watch Magpie (or ITV in general) because it was 'common'. Had to watch deathly dull Blue Peter.

Onelifeonly · 07/02/2022 19:08

I did read some Enid Blyton books as a kid but when I read some to my daughter I realised they are badly written. Over detailed and pedantic. I just wanted the story to move on faster. Also very stereotyped.

thenightsky · 07/02/2022 19:10

I bloody loved Famous Five books. I couldn't get enough of them.

Onelifeonly · 07/02/2022 19:11

Interesting how many people were told ITV was 'common'. Same here. Shows that it was a widespread view and not down to having weird parents.

Come to think of it, it still is - in that 'lowest common demoninator' kind of way. But I do watch their programmes sometimes.

theDudesmummy · 07/02/2022 19:12

Enid Blyton was the reason I became an avid reader, a stepping stone to the whole world of reading. I don't care what others say about her books, for me they were brilliant. I loved the school stories especially.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 07/02/2022 19:22

Not my mum, but my grandma was petrified f storms. She would turn the electricity off at the fuse box until one had passed, and all windows had to be open so thunderbolts could ‘pass through’ without being blocked.

Cherrybomb197 · 07/02/2022 19:22

I don’t think I’ve ever heard either of my parents utter the word “common”, but we were probably as common as muck.

I wasn’t allowed to read a lot of teens/young women’s magazines (ie just17, more, Cosmo, Marie Claire). The reason being that at 9 I read Marie Claire in the dentist waiting room and read an article about FGM. I was terrified my parents were going to get this done to me (they weren’t). When I broached the subject with my mum she told me not to be ridiculous: only boys were circumcised, and even then it wasn’t done in our religion. Then all of these magazines were banned in the house. Even in my early 20s she would tut if she seen me reading cosmo

LianneCL · 07/02/2022 19:26

We still do this with presents and I’m in my 30s! 🙈

Tzimi · 07/02/2022 19:38

@Tattted

As a child/teen living with my parents we were actively discouraged from showering/bathing everyday. It was really frowned upon and seen as unnecessary and probably a bit extravagant. I know probably as a young child I didn’t need to but as I got older and even after I turned 18 and was still living at home they would have been a bit annoyed about it if I wanted to shower everyday . I should say where we live has no water charges so it wasn’t about that. Now as an adult and a mother myself it seems so strange. I realise it’s probably because my parents both came from large families that had very little money and, back then, no hot running water. Even know my parents bath weekly but sink wash every day.
Wow, I can't imagine not showering every day, as I run a lot & get very hot & sweaty! I'd soon be pretty uncomfortable & smelly if I couldn't shower after this...
BlueThursday · 07/02/2022 19:43

No ribena because it was bad for our teeth. Lucozade though: totally fine to have Hmm

I was given a ration of mattress like sanitary towels and got belted if I used too many. So I had to wear them longer than they could cope with and ruined so many clothes. Which, of course, I got belted for.

For context this would have been 1995-1998. I was so grateful to get a part time job when I was 16 in 1999 to buy whatever I wanted.

Today I totally go overboard on sanitary wear and; it’s one part of my life I’m very unfriendly to the environment but i just can’t not have more than I need Sad

Tzimi · 07/02/2022 19:54

@SGBK4682

Being taught how to use cutlery properly / have good table manners, and banned from using a fork in the right hand. Also always having to 'lay' the table and sit at it to eat. My dad would make out we would never get on in life or a career if we didn't.

Now I rarely use a knife, always eat with the fork in my right hand and only sit at the table for a family meal or if we have guests. And this had not affected my career one jot, strange to say!!!

Same here, I hardly ever use a knife unless I have to! I like things to be already cut up to bite-sized pieces.
orangetriangle · 07/02/2022 20:14

Loved Enid Blyton books luckily there seemed to be no restrictions on what I read got through so many books I was on adult books at about 13 probably not suitable I remember lovng the flowers in the attic series no young adult books really in the early 80s always in the library

coldfeetmama · 07/02/2022 20:15

@orangetriangle

Loved Enid Blyton books luckily there seemed to be no restrictions on what I read got through so many books I was on adult books at about 13 probably not suitable I remember lovng the flowers in the attic series no young adult books really in the early 80s always in the library
I've just read all 4 all over again , probably 25 years since I read them last Just as good , loved them them and now
ChequeredNess · 07/02/2022 21:35

Every week I had to sit with each elbow in half a lemon to 'stop them from going dark'. Every now and then I'd get a comment like "your elbows are getting dark again" and would have to give them an extra soak. I remember growing up with a complex about it and constantly checking them in mirrors. It was a similar thing with my mother telling me to be careful I didn't develop a 'tide mark around my neck' by not washing frequently enough. I was constantly paranoid that I had one and that anyone sitting behind me would think I was dirty. Truly, truly bizarre.

clarehhh · 07/02/2022 21:43

Not being allowed to play outside on a Sunday. Not being allowed to watch Magpie as it was ITV , but only BBC , Blue Peter.

justasking111 · 07/02/2022 21:59

Walking around with a book on my head to improve posture

Cherrybomb197 · 07/02/2022 22:14

@BlueThursday that’s absolutely awful and abusive. So sorry your family were like that

ChequeredNess · 07/02/2022 22:19

@BlueThursday, really sorry you had to go through that.

Puffalicious · 07/02/2022 22:28

BlueThursday Flowers I'm so sorry- pure abuse.

Holothane · 07/02/2022 23:00

Sandwich for tea after school I’d be famished.

Pudmyboy · 07/02/2022 23:48

@AngelinaFibres

I wasn't allowed a tiny tears doll or barbie, or sindy. My granny bought me a Tressy doll from a jumble sale. She had a long pony tail that you could move in and out of her head by turning a wheel in her back. I thought she was fantastic. My parents were appalled.
I had a Tressy! The advertisement for her said 'her-hair-grows' with the hair changing in length between each word. I thought it really did grow so I cut it. It didn't grow! Anyway I loved that doll!