What do you think of this family house rule?

[Porcell]

People in the house are not allowed to come downstairs in the morning without being fully dressed/clean and moderately groomed.

This does not apply to school kids during the week. But at the weekends/school holidays memebers of the household are not allowed to be in pyjamas. They can veg out on the sofa but they have to be groomed and in clean clothes. Trackies are allowed.

The owner of the house is choosing to moan. And frankly needs to chill out.

Well it’s not a rule that would work for my family, even my mum who is someone who wouldn’t dream of a PJ day goes down in her PJ’s for her breakfast. It sounds very formal, and well, pointless. It’s a family home I assume.

Ridiculous! If I had a rule like this in my house, my family would never come downstairs. What is the purpose? You can laze around all day on the sofa as long as you are washed and dressed?

LOL. 😂

This was one of my father's house rules, along with, if you were not down stairs fully dressed by 9am at the weekend, you went without breakfast. And a whole list of other persnickety shit. The man was a tyrant who I went almost NC with as soon as I could. I barely spoke with him in 30 years He died 3 months ago aged 88, and I haven't shed a tear for him.

I would think very carefully before having dictatorial house rules like this.

I went out after work with a female colleague and when I walked her to the bus stop (a rural route) and said ‘ah you’ll be home in your pjs before you know it’ she looked horrified and said ‘I couldn’t possibly do that it isn’t even bed time yet!’ On further conversation it turned out that her husband was one of these ‘no sitting around in nightwear’ people.

God I felt sorry for her as I waved her off… to live around people who are so buttoned up and implement petty ‘rules’ because of some Victorian moralistic worldview is odd, but the idea that you can’t relax or be comfy in your own home lest you are judged as some sort of unhygienic deviant is unhinged.

I’d hate to live in a house where this would be a problem. People can be so uptight.

What does your husband think about your rules op?

When I first came to the UK I was a bit surprised that people wore pyjamas downstairs and in the daytime. Would not have occurred to me growing up to come downstairs not dressed and groomed. PJs were considered bed clothes and not appropriate day wear.

I have fully embraced it though and was very happy for my kids to be in PJs in the house when they were growing up.

Controlling to the point that I'd suggest the person enforcing this had a personality disorder or mental health issues.

Well put!

It sounds shit....

On a flip. I don't like the kids wearing outside clothes on the sofa... filthy bus jeans on the sofa! much prefer PJS.

We have a you must be wearing pants rule at the table, that feels a lot more realistic although tea tonight did involve 2 3yr olds naked from the waist down. Can't imagine makeling everyone get showered and changed before coming down. Also it sounds like it makes extra washing if people lounge in one outfit then get dressed later to go out

I think it’s awful

This obsession with tracksuits on MN is hilarious! I wear them at any given opportunity and it doesn’t make me any more of a slob than when I’m in my daily attire of dresses and suits.
OP I would find it sad as a child. You can install routines and good hygiene without being draconian.

It really is quite unhinged isn’t it?

Even the idea that you are slobbing if you are relaxing.

Most of us are pretty busy. Work, school, hobbies.

There is nothing slobby or immoral about taking a day to rest and sit down.

I think it's an awful rule.

But having Pj days with your kids is a must growing up!!!
My kids would totally break this rule in the first day.
It sounds more like a hotel than a home.

I am always dressed before breakfast,, but live alone and impose no rules on others

Sounds obsessive and controlling to me. I'm someone who does shower, brush teeth and dress before going downstairs, but I wouldn't demand that my kids do. They always showered in the evening in any case, and two showers a day is wasteful and unnecessary.

They're grown up now and if they want to veg in PJs when they're here, that's fine.

Are you always this controlling?./. You will find if your very controlling your children will rebel.

Controlling, why?

I come down in the morning to make a cup of tea and take it back to bed to read the news, are you saying they would have to get washed and dressed for that?

Or are they allowed to do that, they just aren't allowed to come downstairs for the day without being washed and dressed?

Exposure to morning sunlight is very good for mental and physical health, and is much more likely to happen for the dressed than for the undressed.