Rules play an important part in our society. They let everyone know
what is generally accepted AND what is not. Children are no
exception to this concept. They begin to learn about rules from you,
the parent.

In my dealings with families, a common error I see when it comes
to rules is, parents tend to set too many rules and then do not
enforce them. It does not set a good example for the child to only
enforce some of the rules, and then only some of the time. This
mixed message creates a confused and unhappy child.

Children need to have clear boundaries so they know when they
have crossed the line. There should not be any room for debate or
arguing when it comes to rules. There should also be clear
consequences for breaking the rules.

The other extreme is the household that has no rules. This is an
invitation to headaches and heartaches galore. Headaches when the
parent finally decides to implement a rule, and heartache when you see the harm you have done to your child when they are expected to follow the rules at school or work.

So the key to remember is it is better to have fewer rules in the
house, but enforce them all rather then have a bunch of rules that
only are enforced sometimes.

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Posted in Parenting Tips by Denny Strecker No Comments Yet