Family rules are positive statements about how your family wants to look after and treat its members. Rules can help everyone in your family get along better, and make family life more peaceful.
When rules are clear, they help:
children and teenagers learn where the limits are, and what’s expected of themadults be consistent in the way they treat children and teenagers.
Who to involve in making rules
It’s important to involve all members of the family as much as possible when developing family rules.
Children as young as three can help you make the rules and talk about why your family needs them.
As children get older, they can take a bigger part in deciding what the rules should be, as well as the consequences for breaking them. Pre-teens and teenagers get a lot of good out of being involved in making rules, because it gives them the chance to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
When rules are clear, they help:
children and teenagers learn where the limits are, and what’s expected of themadults be consistent in the way they treat children and teenagers.
Who to involve in making rules
It’s important to involve all members of the family as much as possible when developing family rules.
Children as young as three can help you make the rules and talk about why your family needs them.
As children get older, they can take a bigger part in deciding what the rules should be, as well as the consequences for breaking them. Pre-teens and teenagers get a lot of good out of being involved in making rules, because it gives them the chance to take responsibility for their own behaviour.