Every family has its quirks and peculiar moments, sure. But it’s only when you take a step back, get some distance, and look at things from a different perspective that you realize just how bizarre some of those rules and regulations really were.

Recently, some members of AskReddit spilled the tea about the weirdest rules that their parents had at home. It was only after they grew up that they realized just how odd they really were. We’ve collected some of their most intriguing and peculiar childhood stories, and you can check them out as you scroll down.

#1

Our kitchen used to “close” at 9pm.

Image credits: Dueline310

#2

No one allowed in or out of the house on New Years day until my red headed uncle came to visit. It’s good luck if the first person in the door on New Years is a redhead. There were 10 kids in my mom’s family. Poor Uncle Bill was run ragged by 2 pm!

Image credits: Mitzy_G

#3

Always talk to the cat in a normal voice and not in the “baby talk” voice people do with pets, because he will think you’re stupid.

He probably does, anyway.

Image credits: Heroic-Forger

Ideally, parents will find a healthy balance between rules, regulations, and restrictions on the one hand and support, warmth, and nurturing on the other. Essentially, what you want to aim for is a home atmosphere where your child feels empowered to grow, learn, and try new things while also having a solid framework of expectations for their behavior.

The authoritative parenting style offers that blend of firm limits while also providing a nurturing, responsive, and supportive environment. Clarity and communication are key here. According to the American Psychological Association, authoritative parents take the time to discuss with their kids everything that’s going on. They explain the rules and why they’re there, and genuinely listen to their munchkins’ viewpoints, even if they don’t always accept them.

#4

No closed doors to bedrooms and bathrooms, even if you were sleeping or taking a shower or taking a dump. I can’t poop in a public restroom because though I know this will never happen I somehow am afraid of someone getting mad at me for closing the stall door.

Image credits: HawaiianSteak

#5

Butt and booty were treated as bad words.

Image credits: thesoupgiant

#6

Not being able to use the couch cushions/pillows and blankets because those were only to decorate when we had guests over.
Ends up my mom has untreated OCD and only told us years later LOL explains a lot of her behavior.

Image credits: HighKey-Anonymous

The benefits for kids who grow up in authoritative households are numerous. As per the APA, children raised this way tend to be:

1. Friendly;
2. Energetic;
3. Cheerful;
4. Self-reliant;
5. Self-controlled;
6. Curious;
7. Cooperative;
8. Achievement-oriented.

#7

My mom always told me growing up that I could wear any color nail polish I wanted, except for red. Because, and I quote, “it’s a color that hookers wear”. So f*****g bizarre.

Image credits: hexen_tanz

#8

Not me, but a girlfriends family rule, was you got one drink with dinner and couldn’t have a refill.

Image credits: jeffweet

#9

The Interrupt Rule. If we wanted to talk to our parents but they were talking to someone else, we would place our hand on their arm, they would acknowledge it by placing their hand on ours, and then we would keep our hands there until they turned to ask us what we needed. I did it to a teacher and I’ll never forget how confused (and frankly a little freaked out) she looked seeing a child just touching her arm and staring at her while she was talking to another teacher.

Image credits: PenguinBluebird

Meanwhile, Verywell Mind notes that authoritative parents raise reasonable demands and are very responsive. So, while they may have high expectations, they also provide their kids with all the resources and support that they need in order to succeed. In short, these parents offer a mix of limits, discipline, love, and warmth. Authoritative parents also tend to use positive reinforcement rather than threats or punishment.

Authoritative parents:

1. Administer fair and consistent discipline when rules get broken;
2. Allow their kids to express opinions and encourage discussions about them;
3. Express warmth and nurturing;
4. Encourage independence and reasoning;
5. Actively listen;
6. Place limits, consequences, and expectations on behavior.

#10

We were not allowed to invite a friend over for a sleepover two times in a row; they had to host first before we could invite them again. Looking back, I think this was my Mom’s way of avoiding sleepovers.

Image credits: KeyBlacksmith8065

#11

Nothing good happens after midnight. Then I visited a Waffle House at 2am.

Image credits: TacoGuyDave

#12

We weren’t allowed to sleep late. even on weekends. It was awful.

Image credits: eralcilrahc

What are the most bizarre or unusual rules or traditions that you had to follow when you were little, dear Pandas? When did you first realize that those rules were very different from how things were at your friends’ homes?

Now that you’re older, what do you think are the most peculiar parenting things that you’ve introduced at home yourself? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Share them in the comments below.

#13

If I had a friend over, went to a friend’s house, went to the mall with a friend or even went outside and played with any other kids one weekend, I better not even ask to do anything the following weekend. Many weekends I spent alone in my room. I was a straight A kid too. And at 17, I had a 9pm curfew on Saturday nights.

Image credits: pinkushion424

#14

I wasn’t allowed to play dungeon and dragons but Harry Potter was okay.

Image credits: Old-Check-5938

#15

If you turn the light on in the car that a cop will pull you over and give you a ticket.

Image credits: Appropriate_Music_24

#16

Soft drinks are adult drinks.

Imagine my horror when I went to a birthday party in kindergarten and the Mom started to serve soft drinks to us – 5 year olds! Being the rule follower that I was, I said that I wasn’t allowed to drink it because it was an adult drink. The mom convinced me that my parents would be okay if I had a glass. I remember being very upset with my parents after the party because I was so embarrassed.

Image credits: Virtual_Cut6952

#17

Once you go to bed, you don’t go back downstairs for NOTHING lol.

Image credits: AnchorLogic

#18

Meals would be done in order of age, my parents ate first, then my older brother and sister then me. We never ate together.

Image credits: steroboros

#19

I have two i havent seen mentioned:

1. You must wake up at 6am, regardless of day, and would be punished if you failed. I often did fail as i had undiagnosed adhd at the time, and it led to frequent arguments. They said it was to ‘prepare me for the adult world’. I now dont wake up even close to that early for my actual adult job.

2. I was not allowed to interact with males, as they were worried about me getting into a relationship while i was still in school. As a result, my closest relationships growing up were with other women, and now i am gay.

Image credits: Nope-5000

#20

All steak had to be WELL DONE. I didn’t know anything less than well done existed until I went to college. Now, I take my steak medium.

Image credits: PointyCirclesHurt

#21

If mom’s bedroom door is closed.. DO NOT KNOCK! DO NOT OPEN! If one of us has a severed arm.. ask yourself.. do you really need to knock on her door? Maybe it wasn’t a “rule” per se. But we knew the rule.

Image credits: mozzarellastewpot

#22

Can only wear jeans once a week. Cannot change at school by hiding jeans in your backpack. Mom will come and check and make you change.

No black eyeliner, you will become a w***e if you wear black eyeliner.

No crying in public, you will be an embarrassment to the family.

Image credits: Miss_Pouncealot

#23

You have to “say hello” to the plants. Every morning, greet the houseplants. Respect the greenery। Spend time there,will i love that now. I am gonna follow it always.

Image credits: Captain_donutt

#24

Not mine but my mom says my grandma used to make them take off all their clothes except the underwear at the corridor as soon as they got home. We suspect she had untreated OCD lol.

Image credits: akaneko__

#25

I had to share any food I brought home even if purchased with my own money. My mom didn’t cook or keep food at home but ate out every morning.

Image credits: Feeling-Confusion-

#26

When our father got home from work, we’d be sent to our rooms, sometimes until the time he left the next morning. He’d get home and not want to interact with us so we’d be sent off across the house, checked on occasionally, spanked or yelled at if we got too loud. Luckily I had my older brother, but it got lonely. And it was better than being around him because he was mean and aggressive. He once left black and blue belt stripes across my brother’s back, because he was caught jumping on the bed again. When I was 2 or 3 he put me in time out, facing the corner. Then he fell asleep and hours later I wandered off to go play. He woke up and got angry I left, so he busted into my room, grabbed me by the ankle and lifted me upside down to administer a (thankfully brief) beating. When he’d call us out of our room, he’d scream our names and we were so scared he was going to yell at us or hit us. So. The rule was, when Dad gets home, go to your room.

Image credits: Hyperactive_Sloth02

#27

If I called someone I was only allowed to let the phone ring 4 times then I had to hang up.

Image credits: Thatbaileygal

#28

We were never ever allowed in their bedroom not even if we were sick or scared. We would stand at the open door and yell for them.

Image credits: Glittering-Water3929

#29

I couldn’t listen to modern music bc it was all “inappropriate.” It turns out, my parents, mainly my mom, was just lowkey racist. She forced us to listen to her music which was all about s*x and d***s, but all done by white people.

Image credits: Slow_Confection_5962

#30

My dad never allowed me to watch the Simpsons growing up. When I turned 18 I watched it and loved it hahaha.

Image credits: ExperienceHelpful316

#31

My dad used to tell us that we weren’t allowed to touch the painted parts of the car because it would mess it up. Only touch the handles. This was so completely engrained in me that even as an adult I thought that car paint was somehow easily ruined. It wasn’t until working in the automotive industry that I realized that, in fact, it’s quite durable and, you know, made to be on the road.

#32

Wasn’t allowed to go to the bathroom after I went to bed … my parents were a*****e.

#33

When we were little and the Avon Lady would come knocking on our door, my mom would tell us to be very quiet and to not make a noise because it’s the mean Avon Lady and she has a gun. Lol.

We totally believed her, and it wasn’t until I was in the 8th grade that we moved, and my little sister’s friend’s dad would sell Avon at swap meets. We asked if he had a gun, and her friend looked so confused. Lol. We figured then that my mom was just telling us a story to make sure we were quiet so she didn’t have to open the door and deal with the Avon Lady.

It is still one of the silliest memories of my childhood, and up until my mom passed away 4 years ago, we would give her such a hard time for it. Her response was always “well it got uou to be quiet, and she always went away.”

I don’t know if it’s really a rule, but maybe it was. We were never to answer the door to those women.

I miss my mom so much.

Edit: spelling.

#34

Having to change clothes (ex: shorts or tank tops) when relatives or family friends came over, so that the men/boys “wouldn’t look”.

#35

We had to be quiet, including turning off the TV when dad came home.

#36

We couldn’t laugh at the table. We were immediately dismissed to our rooms.

#37

No friends inside the house. We had bed bugs.

#38

Um, we weren’t really allowed to lock the bathroom door. It wasn’t a rule, we just didn’t. We only had one bathroom, there were 5 of us. It was fairly rare to be able to bathe or shower without someone else needing to use the bathroom. In the mornings, my sister would be doing her hair in front of the sink, while someone was in the shower and then someone else would come in to use the toilet or grab laundry (we left it all in a pile on the floor). The bathroom was big enough for all of this.

Also, my mom was a naked mom. And I think she hated folding laundry. We had clean clothes, but they were all in a huge laundry basket in the pantry, which was at the other end of the house from the bathroom and bedrooms. So we all made partially clothed dashes down the hall, through the kitchen to the pantry to find clothes.

Shockingly, I have no trouble using the toilet in front of anyone and talking to them at the same time or vice versa. It has been commented on (positively?) in my last few relationships. It also came in very handy having kids because they seem to know I sat down and barge in to ask me something. I am also really comfortable naked but no one I’ve dated has complained about that one, either.

#39

We weren’t allowed to refer to either parent as “he” or “she.” Had to be “Mom” or “Dad” or acceptable variations.

#40

We were only allowed to eat candy on Sundays. Then my sister ate a s**t ton of candy on Sunday and threw up everywhere.

#41

Had to call every adult by their last name “Mr….” And “Mrs…” even when they wanted to be called by their first name. Wanting me to call someone by their last name when they were 28 years old and I was 12 and it went against their wishes to be called “Sam” blows my mind and undermines the other adults.

#42

Can’t go out on school nights. Everyone was hanging out constantly.

#43

The current weird rule here is NO FOOD IN THE LIVING ROOM. Our kids sit in the foyer with their snack food. Adult friends follow the rules too until the kids go to bed. Saves me from digging crumbs out of the couch, and it’s way easier mopping spills on tile than from carpet.

I remember the first time I ate in the living room as a kid. It was liberating.

#44

Had to drink two full glasses of milk before being allowed one cup of diet Coke.

The room at the top of the stairs with the short door was the Monster Room and I wasn’t allowed to open the door. (It was just a storage closet, there wasn’t even anything interesting inside).

#45

If there was an event (afterschool or a birthday party or anything) and it was on a day they worked it was an automatic no cuz they were at work. if it was on a day they had off it was a no because they wanted to enjoy their day off. if i offered to be dropped off or picked up by a friends parents or hell Walk it was a no because there could be serial killers waiting to kidnap me. my day was wake up, go to school, come home, eat dinner, go to bed. all day every day.

i had a really lonely childhood once people figured out id always say no to invites.

#46

Shut up was a swear word in our house.

If we asked our parents if our friends could hang out in front of said friend, answer was immediately no.

I had to ask to have a sleepover with a friend 7 days in advance. Anything less than that was immediately no.

Doors were locked at 830pm. If we tried to come home after that, it was sleeping on the porch. We had a box on the porch that had pillows and blankets for this reason.

Was not allowed to sleep in later than 915 am on the weekends.

#47

We always had to wash our feet….oh the good old days when we run around barefoot day and night.

#48

I had to hug her or she wasn’t going to give me anything I asked for from that point on.

#49

I was not allowed to flip coins. It had something to do with how flipping coins in public made you look like an old timey gangster or something. This was back in the 90s too.

#50

My parents would check my and my brother’s teeth for ‘sugar bugs’ every night after we brushed our teeth, before we got in bed. If they thought we were trying to skip brushing our teeth, they would tell us they could see the sugar bugs and would make us go brush again.

My brother and I were so convinced these sugar bugs were real, we would constantly ask when we’d be able to see them. My parents always told us only people 13 and older could see them, but by the time we got to be 13, we had completely forgotten about the sugar bugs in our teeth.

#51

DON’T PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE WALLS.

#52

We weren’t necessarily allowed to get hurt. At least I wasn’t. My dad deemed it unsightly and unladylike at first. I liked to climb trees and such as a kid and he noticed I had a scab on my arm when I was in the fifth grade. Snatched me up by my arm and yelled at me telling me it made me ugly and no boy would ever love or want to be with me if I had a bunch of scars. Then got mad at me when I said “I’d hope a boy wouldn’t not want to be with me over some scars on my skin, that’s shallow.” Turns out he was right, but it wasn’t about physical scars, nobody wants to be with someone covered in the emotional scars he left also the same man who told me I was fat that same summer and wouldn’t allow me to eat past 5pm because I’d get fat and nobody likes fat women. I also had to ask permission for food and/or eat within his restricted times and regulations until I was like 17. If I ate outside of his restrictions, he tore me a new one. I have a very complicated relationship with food and my body now. There’s plenty more, but yeah, my dad sucked.

#53

“Never talk to anyone about what happens in this house.”.

#54

We weren’t allowed to help ourselves to snacks and if we had lunch depended on which parent was home and the mood they were in.

#55

We couldn’t talk while at the dinner table……. That’s why me and my siblings are fast eaters-5 min. or less. It has definitely messed with my ability to sense if Im full. I can binge eat like no one else in my life. My husband can finish 3/4 of his food and “be full” and I can eat mine and finish his plate and est the rest of the sides … it’s terrible.

#56

We had an entire sitting room in the house and NOONE WAS ALLOWED TO USE IT.

#57

Don’t talk to the cops.

#58

One of my cousins parents had this thing called “grownup candy” which was basically candy that they drilled into their heads since they were young was only for grownups (it was the parent’s favorite candy too, lmao) kind of like alcohol. 

She was sixteen when she figured out almond joys were consumable for children.

#59

I thought it was normal to not have a door to your room

I got my door taken off when I was 10, got it back when I was 13.

#60

You can’t cough aloud.

#61

Our dogs were allowed on the couch but we weren’t until my dad moved out when I was almost 16. Lots of other crazy s**t too ofc but that one is kinda funny.

#62

If we were ever trying to promise we were telling the truth and said ‘I swear’ my mom would say ‘Don’t swear!’ It drove me crazy. That’s not what they mean when people say swearing is bad. Her first language is English too so to this day I don’t get it but she was weirdly particular about a lot of stuff.

#63

No elbows on the dinner table while there are eating. Then I went to other peoples house….

#64

That I had to “show respect” by hugging relatives.

#65

No swimming for two hours after eating because “you will get a stomach cramp”.

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