It's amazing that they turned out normal
Parents will often set rules of the house to ensure that everyone knows their role, gets along, and manages the responsibilities of the household together. Rules can be a great way to teach children responsibility and having consequences for their actions. However, some parents take their rule-making way too far. Their list of rules can sometimes border on abusive and controlling. These adults will never impose the rules they had to live with on their own children.
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No Sneezing
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My parents were horrible parents in general but the most bizarre rule that my siblings and I put up with was that we weren’t allowed to sneeze multiple times in a row. One sneeze? Fine. Another sneeze after some arbitrary number of minutes later? No problem. Two sneezes in a row? Get yelled at for being unhygienic (even if you covered your nose/mouth properly) and for having no manners.
God forbid if you sneezed thrice or more in a row… I have seasonal allergies and one time, my dad was in a particularly bad mood and caught me in a sneezing fit and grounded me for a week. (Asphodelic)
Fear the Mailman
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My mom was paranoid. Everyone and everything was a kidnapper. She hated the mailman on our route. So, when I was young, 3, 4 years old, my mom told me it was illegal to be outside when the mail came.
Around 11:15 every day I’d see that truck coming. I’d high tail it inside the house, terrified I would be spotted.
Fast forward 30 years. I still genuinely feel a tinge of panic in the smallest recesses of the back of my brain when I see the mailman arrive. Only now it’s overpowered by the excitement of my latest Amazon package I really don’t need. (ajustice83)
Good Hygiene
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I couldn’t brush my teeth after breakfast on school mornings.
I had braces, and my mom wouldn’t let me brush my teeth after breakfast in fear of us being late for school. I offered to make my own breakfast earlier in the morning in order to compensate, so I could get all the gunk out of my braces after eating.
However, when I made my breakfast the next morning she revoked my “ride to school privilege.” Had to ride my bike to school every day from then on. It was my punishment for being disobedient. (Leirbag43874)