Rules in My Home

These are rules I have in my house, you'll either agree or disagree, but maybe you'll find one that sparks your heart as you read?
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• Love and respect yourself: Hard to do (esp for women, being the maternal creatures we are), but your children will look up to you later for it.
• Love and respect your spouse/partner: you both play a vital role in your children's lives, you are together because you loved each other 1st
• When you do have an argument with your spouse/partner, remember that you do love them; don't fight to win at all costs.
• Agree to disagree
• Adore your children: remember that they are children always needing guidance and you were selected to guide them
• Discipline your children with firmness, love from your heart and awareness that they are learning from your actions
• Hang your favorite pictures all around your house, of you and your loved one, your children, pets...every treasured moment to remind you of the reward you have received by creating your family.
• Through the storms, know that the clouds do clear and the sun still shines. Get through it, and ride the wave.
• Be the person you want your child to become. (Think morals, ethics, values...)
• Let your children see you cry. It is healthy for them to understand you have emotions.
• Quit the video games and t.v. (as sources for entertainment) and have your child learn to enjoy and cope with silence. Take time to learn about your child, and have your child learn about you, instead of allowing the electronic and digital world to take over your child's development.
• Chores are not chores. It is part of a lifestyle. Chores get done because it has to. Period. They are done just as often as you brush your teeth and wipe your butt (let's hope to G-d we all do that!) No negotiations. They will love you later for it.
• No double standards (ex. I can smoke, but you can't)
  recognize the fact that you are your children's biggest role model; be a positive one
  Teach them value...worth...the true fabric of a great person.
• If you are one of faith: pray...REALLY pray...with your heart and soul, not for show. It will impact your children (and your lives)
• Play fun games that require movement (pictionary, charades, etc)...
  Support your children with the good things, and teach them better with the bad things.
• Tell stories about you ... you'd be surprised how glad they'd be to know about who you were, good and bad.
• Be fair, open minded, understanding and take responsibilities for what you do/say that was wrong.

Life is not as long as we think, so why not live it as well as we can so our children can have memories to appreciate and good habits to pass on when/if they become parents one day? Show your children all the passion you have and let them carry that passion onward, knowing you showed them the way.