The Golden Rule

This summer has been a blast for us so far. We have been able to go to the Library, the Natural History Museum, have a sleep-over with cousins, soccer camp, swimming lessons, and we have logged in hours at our local parks and swimming pool. Yes, so far, it has been an ideal summer...except for one thing, and I hate to mention this, but along with the laughter and love we have had more than the usual chaos and contention. This Sunday, as I spouted off orders to my children, I was reminded of an idea that I found in the Ensign this month. Even though we were in the middle of dinner, I grabbed a pen and paper and started writing down "Our Family Rules". As a family we came up with 34 of them. Sadly, these "rules" are actual things that were said in our home in the few hours that we did this activity.

1. Don't suck on your hair at the dinner table
2. Use correct Grammar.
3. Don't pretend to cry like a two year old (it hurts Lucy's feelings.)
4. Don't lie on the floor and tip your chair over on you like a tent while at the dinner table.
5. Don't blow bubbles in your drink at the dinner table.
6. Don't keep shouting "Rule #5" over and over again at the dinner table.
7. Don't throw batteries
8. When you skip, don't hit people with your swinging arms.
9. Don't tip your chairs back on two legs.
10. Don't hit your sister (or brother) with light-sabers
11. Don't get hurt!
12. Don't throw the Lego container at your brother.
13. No teasing!
14. Don't fight with light-sabers while you are on the stairs.
15. Don't throw books over the railing.
16. Put your clothes in the laundry basket.
17. Don't call your sister a "Grammar-head".
18. Don't put fake cockroaches in the sink.
20. Flush the toilet and wash your hands.
21. No shouting "Rule #7" at Lucy over and over again.
22. Don't issue the Heimlich maneuver when no one is choking.
23. Don't interrupt mom while she is making rules.
24. Don't climb on the railing.
25. No whining.
26. Don't jump on the couch.
27 Don't suck whole grapes into your mouth like a vacuum.
28. No hitting...EVER!
29. Don't wipe your crumbs on the floor.
30. Throw your banana peels in the garbage.
31. No potty-mouthing.
32. Put your toys away when you are finished with them.
23. Don't write on the wall.
34. Don't sit on the counter tops.

Now you would think that following these rules would create the perfect home environment, but no, I could have written down 100 more and it still wouldn't be enough. On Monday, for FHE, we pulled the list out again, and went over the rules. Then I wrote down one rule on a separate piece of paper "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." We replaced all of our family rules with our one family rule. So far this week has been a little better, usually just the mention of the Golden Rule will make them stop and re-think what they are doing...though I am sure that I still have many years of "spouting off rules" ahead of me.