Simple, consistent house rules

[tintinout96]

I’m looking for examples of simple house rules that could apply to any age kids. I find I’m constantly changing complicated screen rules and I know that’s more nuanced depending on age etc but it got me thinking about the really simple ‘in this house, we …’ rules that are in place as default and that work.
I think we have just one that works here consistently and that’s: No tv or on-screen games before school.
I’m trying to implement rooms have to be tidy before tv/screens go on but that’s harder to maintain!

please share your simple house rules that are ‘easy’ to maintain!

We had:
Food and drink sat down at the table, or in the kitchen.
No screens before lunch.
No throwing things in the house.

No food upstairs

Food stays in your plate. You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to but it remains there.

No screens on school days

I’d love this..what activities do you/did you do to keep them occupied, or how do they occupy themselves? Mine need to veg a bit after a day at school, so some days they have telly.

Mine is nearly 4 and I’m struggling to think of any. Nothing that’s ever been expressly stated anyway. Just the usual stuff like brushing teeth twice a day. We don’t have rules about watching television, it just isn’t switched on very often. Maybe two or three times a week. No iPads or anything like that. Anything else is expected but goes without saying- treat toys carefully and look after books and belongings, be kind and show good manners, everyone help each other. He puts his own clothes in the laundry basket, tidies toys away and so on.

You can totally do it. They usually go up to their bedrooms to play - Lego, playmobil etc, or they might practice their instruments. We’ve had a no screens during the weekday rule for a few years now and they don’t even ask anymore - unless home sick from school etc

If you mean rules like everyone must do X otherwise action will be taken, it's mostly like

food is only at the table
shoes off inside
no standing on beds or sofas (as that's a precursor to jumping on them!)
No hitting
Keep quiet when someone's sleeping
Tidy table after eating
Stay in bed after bedtime
Etc etc, list as long as my arm when I think about it.

It's easy to be firm on rules that you yourself think are fair. Not so much if you don't really believe in them!

But I found a neat trick was getting everyone in the house to make up one rule, then write it down on a board. It puts everyone on the same level and is easier to get compliance.

And since screens is a hot topic, my rule is only use screens to do something particular.

So it could be to watch a video about X (selected by me) or do some coding (rodocodo or scratch etc) but not just open ended screen time. I tend to encourage more going outside in this weather, reading books in bad weather (our house has more books than a library I think) or even skiing chores. But it literally depends more on your child than it does on any rules you set as to what works well for your family!