What are your rules in the house

[Opalfeet]

Have two boys (2 and 4) they jump up on my bed and play after bath, jump on settee and they climb up and sit in the window sill. 😬 At what point does it stop being okay and cute? When did you instigate clear rules? Am I doing it all wrong? They're well behaved in most respects.

Breaking the furniture has never been cute in our house. I have a similar age gap and TBF they weren't ones for climbing on the furniture at 2 and 4. They try to do it now at 6 and 8 and it doesn't wash.

The 14 year old is either out or lying on his bed, the 10 year old has never climbed on furniture at home but does at his friends' houses if they do. He's also terrible for jumping on our bed. I have rules but they're ignored.

No jumping on the bed or sofas in our house, rules from day dot. I don't want to fork out for those expensive bits of furniture when they are supposed to last. Might be trickier instilling new rules if that's not what they're used to, you'll have to be pretty firm and very constistent about it x

Mine are 4 6 and 8 and they jump on the sofa every day. They know they're not allowed. They just wait untl I'm out the room.

I’m not sure I ever thought jumping on furniture or climbing on the window sill was cute. It’s not that safe when they’re small and can break the furniture when they’re bigger. I have always believed that behaviour that is not going to be desirable when they’re older should not be encouraged when they’re little.
Certain things might be cute when they’re 2 but inappropriate, annoying or downright naughty when they’re 4/5/6. Allowing it when they’re 2 but then wanting them not to when they’re 5 is confusing and setting yourself up for issues down the line.
If you think that further down the line you’re going to want them to not do it, maybe they shouldn’t be doing it at all.

No hiding in my bed... And don't get in bed with day clothes on. I freaking hate having bits of random stuff on my sheets, just stay the fuck out!

Other than that not a lot ...oh except no jumping on the sofa because it's on its last legs 😂. DD is really sensible though and doesn't get up to much.

(1) if you're sitting on the windowsill you must be wearing pants
(2) if you are jumping around i don't want to be able to hear it in another room.

They would be my rules

No bare bottoms on the sofa
You have to give meals, esp dinner, 'a good stab'. Bread and butter available if you really hate it.
Climb all you like on the knackered IKEA sofas in the family room, but sit on the back of my sofa in the lounge and you have to sit on the floor for 5 mins
Good manners all round (we speak to DC in tone that we expect to be spoken to, please, thank you, etc)
DC are 6, 4 and newborn.

"if you're sitting on the windowsill you must be wearing pants"

Love some of these rules. They've made me smile

The window sill they manage to sit on is directly above the settee btw. So I wouldn't say it's that unsafe.

No climbing furniture
No Jumping on beds/furniture
No banging furniture walls with sticks/play swords
No feet on furniture
Shoes off at the door and wash hands
Please and thank you (I still remind ds and he's 27 )
All food has a plate under it and moves from plate to mouth and nowhere else. Preferably all food at the table.
Dirty mugs/plates straight in dishwasher
Laundry in laundry basket
Tidy up time after tea and before bath
Please may I have
No swearing - at about 6 DS was obsessed with naughty words. DH sat him down and made him learn to spell them all and write out their meanings. That one ricocheted back when he was about 11 and pulled up for using the "F" word. "Oh honestly mummy, it's just Anglo-Saxon for copulation, no need to make a fuss".
Then - the usual:
No drugs
I need to know where you are and who you are with
Your phone must be on and keep in touch
Don't drink yourself silly
Make sure your gf is on the pill or use contraception

They occasionally still need gentle reminders .