ADVERTISEMENT

Every family has its own little quirks. That becomes all too obvious when strangers come to live together at some point in their lives. Think of roommates or partners who suddenly realize the most basic daily things, as well as things people think of as normal and acceptable, vary. And they vary greatly.

No wonder people grow up and realize not everything that went down in their parents’ home was actually normal. Insane cases, family rules, habits, and customs can be super weird.

Think of parents who don’t let their children laugh while lying down or kids who were allowed to take just one quick weekly shower; these are among the countless debatable family rules people confessed in these online threads.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow We had to take naps on Sunday. Every Sunday. Now that I'm older I realize that was the only chance my parents had to bang.

Swarleysmomma , Elina Fairytale Report

Final score:
178points
Add photo comments
POST
professormcgonagallminerva avatar
Stardust she/her
Stardust she/her
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents tried to make my brother and I nap when we were small. I was too hyperactive so they gave up.

Vote comment up
28
28points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow A "sock tax".

In retrospect, smart. I hated it at the time.

So, I left my dirty socks around the house. I don't know why I would be taking socks off all over the place, I was a damn kid. I guess I was sloppy and it just happened and the socks had to be off right then and there. Parents got fed up with this. And so, to get my dirty socks back, I had to pay a quarter per sock. Doesn't seem like a big deal at first, but it adds up when you're nine years old. Had to literally nickel and dime my way through a few pairs because I was running out of damn socks, I was kind of a sock deserting addict I guess. Finally got in the habit it of picking up my socks for a while and things seemed fine and then hit a heavy relapse.

Parents gave me a big a*s box of my dirty socks for Christmas that year and a few pairs of new ones. Got better after that. Typing this is making me smile, I really love my mom and dad.

mistersloth , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:
161points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#3

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow My mom wouldn't let me touch my brother. A side hug was ok for pictures and making up after a fight but no cuddly stuff. And her definition of cuddly was him leaning on me on the couch when he's sick. He's 5 years younger than me and we rarely got along so anything like that was rare. It kind of messed with me when I was younger, she made me feel like I was being a pervert but I still had no idea what I was doing. Once on a car trip (I was super sick with whooping cough) I was sprawled across the back seat and my head was touching my brother's leg. She flipped out. "No. No. That's not right. Not ok. Get on your side." He was 10! I was 15! WTF mom??

doglover2000 , Annie Spratt Report

Final score:
158points
Add photo comments
POST
newbookscast avatar
ginny weasley
ginny weasley
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Guessing mom was also an anti-vaxxer and an idiot. Kids should all be vaccinated against whooping cough and she shouldn't have been transporting a kid with a highly infectious disease in a car with a non sick kid. 15 is old enough to stay home when that sick.

Vote comment up
88
88points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow I wasn't allowed to date black people darker than me.

DownvoteDaemon , Justin Groep Report

Final score:
147points
Add photo comments
POST
ner_diz avatar
Serial pacifist
Serial pacifist
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, today I learned that there is such a thing as graded racism.

Vote comment up
143
143points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow No Harry Potter, because of all the wizards.

Now, I could understand the rule except for one thing, I was allowed to play DnD, read LotR, have friends who were literally occultists. But no Harry Potter.

anon Report

Final score:
145points
Add photo comments
POST
buttonhandleycraig avatar
_scarlett_
_scarlett_
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My religious education teacher at school once gave us a lecture when someone brought up harry potter, on how witchcraft was actually real and it's a sin and all that. Cue a class full of 11 year olds staring at her in disbelief 😂

Vote comment up
54
54points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#6

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow When I was 14 my mum banned me from taking selfies. Said they were unnecessary and self absorbed. This was in 2009 and I hated her for it, all my friends were posting cute 'camera in the bathroom mirror' pictures and I couldn't. Now I am grateful because those pictures are cringey af.

flacedpenis , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:
145points
Add photo comments
POST
jillolvera avatar
FeelingFrisky
FeelingFrisky
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every Once in a while parents know what they're talking about /s

Vote comment up
66
66points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#7

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow I had to chew my food 50 times before swallowing. It is harder than it sounds. Eating soup was a bastard.

Grounded5am , Annushka Ahuja Report

Final score:
142points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow My Dad would ground us if the toilet paper was put on incorrectly. He wants it to go under. Now that I'm married and in my own house it always goes over.

Bam223 , Vie Studio Report

Final score:
141points
Add photo comments
POST
jcook420 avatar
24 mentally unstable can tabs*
24 mentally unstable can tabs*
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you know, and I know nobody asked, but when toilet paper was patented, it was specified that the toilet paper was supposed to go to the front of the roll, not behind.

Vote comment up
111
111points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow I was told that my friends could not sleep over because they may murder me and my family. My parents have always come up with weird excuses to avoid having an honest conversation.

anon , Monstera Report

Final score:
137points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#10

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow "Can't costs a quarter!" We weren't allowed to give up on something and say "I can't", and we'd have to put a quarter in this Snoopy bank if we did. She wanted to encourage us to look for solutions and ask for help instead of just giving up. In the long run, I think it helped because I went to school for electrical engineering and am now a web developer where I essentially do problem solving all day long.

St3phiroth , Joshua Hoehne Report

Final score:
135points
Add photo comments
POST
nbornkessel avatar
Natalie Bohrteller
Natalie Bohrteller
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really don't think this is stupid. Working with kids myself, I know how they say this so often, especially girls. And instead of explaining them what self-fulfilling prophecy means, I will make them say "Looks hard, but I'll try."

Vote comment up
58
58points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

My family had three valid excuses, and if one of those fit a situation, you were no longer in trouble. You still had to deal with the consequences of your actions like cleaning up a mess or whatever, but no extra punishment.

1. Dad... In my defense, you weren't supposed to find out.

Maybe my parents were supposed to be out of town until Sunday, but they came back a night early and found my friends and I shit faced and a mess everywhere. "Dad, you weren't supposed to find out. I was going to clean it all up and you'd never know." No longer in trouble.

2. Dad, in my defense... it was funny!

This one mostly covered pranking each other. No punishment, but you had to be ready for them to one-up you.

3. Dad... in my defense... there were snakes...

Self explanatory.

TheBigDsOpinion Report

Final score:
121points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#12

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow -Not me, but my bestfriend who is 18 years old isn't allowed to close her door (even if she is changing clothes) and if her parents catch her door closed, $5 fee. -Also $10 fee if she leaves her bedroom light on. -She's not allowed to watch Harry Potter, Twilight etc.. anything to do with magic, or evil spirts regardless if it is rated G. -Didn't attend Sunday church that morning? Grounded for a week and $5 fee

ciaraashley , Storiès Report

Final score:
117points
Add photo comments
POST
newbookscast avatar
ginny weasley
ginny weasley
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aa the super religious nuts. A great way to make your kid move out and NEVER talk to you again

Vote comment up
166
166points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow I wasn't allowed to sit on my bed. I would get into trouble if my friends sat on my bed and crumpled he sheets. They had to stay looking crisp and ironed which is near impossible.

Ur_favourite_psycho , EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA Report

Final score:
111points
Add photo comments
POST
ner_diz avatar
Serial pacifist
Serial pacifist
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you by any chance have to adrress your parents with: “Yes, sir, sergeant, sir?”

Vote comment up
71
71points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

My mother has always had a white couch. Big, fluffy, inviting sectional type.

No one can sit on this couch, or even breathe near it. God forbid i forget to mention this to company coming over.

I have often wondered why the f**k its even there.

SaithSiro Report

Final score:
107points
Add photo comments
POST
newbookscast avatar
ginny weasley
ginny weasley
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My great grandparents had a formal parlor like this, but everything was shades of avocado and lime green and it was wrapped in plastic. No kids allowed ever though

Vote comment up
41
41points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#15

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Not really weird but I was never allowed to say I was bored. If I said it too often I was made to sit down and do nothing for about an hour. I learnt pretty quick though that anything was better than sitting and doing nothing!

wisesam , Michał Parzuchowski Report

Final score:
100points
Add photo comments
POST
timothybrown avatar
T. Brown
T. Brown
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is like at work telling your boss that you have nothing to do.

Vote comment up
42
42points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#16

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow I can't leave the house after sneezing and I can't do anything new on Tuesdays because I was born on a Tuesday. Crazy superstitions that my mom refuses to let go.

Achak320 , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:
99points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow My mum wouldn't let me use the dishwasher well into my teens in case I slipped, fell on the open dishwasher and stabbed myself on knives.

She also didn't like me getting things for myself. If I asked her where the chopping board was she'd not tell me. I'd say "just tell me and I can get it" but no, I had to wait for her to stop whatever she was doing to get it for me. It drove me nuts because if I kept asking to get it myself she's shout that I was being demanding. How is wanting to not bother you and be independent in the simplest sense demanding?

Stlieutenantprincess , Nathan Dumlao Report

Final score:
97points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#18

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Not being allowed to cut our hair...it was down nearly to our knees (it was not religious OR cultural, just, idk). Then my mom let my younger sisters cut theirs but I still wasn't allowed. When I turned 18 and finally could, the hair stylist said I had over a foot of split ends she took off.

anon , Nataliya Vaitkevich Report

Final score:
95points
Add photo comments
POST
leeanneb avatar
LeeAnne B
LeeAnne B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wasn't allowed to get my ears pierced until I left home. Cue 20 years later, my father wouldn't even look at my nose ring. Hahaha.

Vote comment up
41
41points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Our weirdest rule was the Underwear At the Table Rule. Me and my three sisters were big fans of being naked when we were younger, so from ages 3-8 whenever we'd come home from preschool or school, everything would just come straight off regardless of who was home. So my mother instituted the Underwear at the Table-rule, stating that during dinner everyone needs to be wearing underwear at the very least, otherwise no dinner.

This worked for a while and was later complemented by the rule stating that if you have chest hair, you have to wear a shirt (that one applied more to my dad than to us)

Secretkrigs , Tyson Report

Final score:
95points
Add photo comments
POST
rkalligas avatar
Friday
Friday
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m on your mother’s side with this one.

Vote comment up
170
170points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Not my family, but my best friend's family would always rinse their ice off with water before they poured their beverage in the glass to "wash off the mechanical bugs"

nolabrew , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:
95points
Add photo comments
POST
jasonengman avatar
Jason
Jason
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wonder if they rinsed their water off to get rid of the pipe germs too

Vote comment up
74
74points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Mom's parents didn't let their children laugh while lying down. Whenever someone made a joke, if anyone was lying down, they had to sit up and laugh.

smellyGoonerCat , Ketut Subiyanto Report

Final score:
91points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow We couldn't eat the butter until we turned 13; only margarine.

allenahansen , Sorin Gheorghita Report

Final score:
89points
Add photo comments
POST
professormcgonagallminerva avatar
Stardust she/her
Stardust she/her
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your family is right. Butter can impact your pitituary gland preventing it from producing growth hormones before puberty. It can also make you grow a third eye and turn you into a god /s

Vote comment up
105
105points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow January was sugar free month. But December 31st was eat as much f*****g sugar as your body will allow.

MrSirLoin , kaouther djouada Report

Final score:
89points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

We only ever had one bathroom for everyone to share. Anywhere we moved. Always one bathroom, therefore, if someone was taking forever in the bathroom and you had to use it, you would go sit on the bed of who is in the bathroom until they got out. So if you happen to pee yourself.... After a couple incidents with a 6 year old, nobody took more than 10 minutes in the restroom. Ever.

firefly_98 Report

Final score:
89points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#25

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Had to recite the bill of rights verbatim before getting allowance.

anon , david__jones Report

Final score:
83points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow If we were naughty, we had to stare down the toilet.

Worked a treat - humiliating, non-physical, and in hindsight pretty f*****g funny. My dad is a joker.

Publish_Lice , Pixabay Report

Final score:
80points
Add photo comments
POST
grant_3 avatar
T. Unnamable
T. Unnamable
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You had to "stare down" the toilet... what if the toilet won?

Vote comment up
61
61points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#27

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow Could only have half a glass of milk at a time. I could drink that and then have another half glass. But not a full glass. I was told it was because milk is expensive and they didn't want it wasted.

foodleech , Charlotte May Report

Final score:
78points
Add photo comments
POST
faramir10 avatar
Faramir10
Faramir10
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That doesn't sound so strange. It'a a good way to prevent wastage.

Vote comment up
107
107points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

We were not allowed to walk through our dining room. Nothing made my mom angrier than having footprints through her OCD vacuum lines in the carpet. It was easier to cut through dining room from the hallway to get to kitchen. Sometimes after mom was asleep, my brothers and I would sneak through. The older we got, she seemed to get crazier about it. I remember all three of us being grounded for a week for one of us walking through, since she couldn't tell who was the guilty one. It's so strange because other than this rule, and not being allowed to sit on our beds, she was lenient otherwise.

paulanka_75 Report

Final score:
76points
Add photo comments
POST
dtamburrino avatar
KittyGotClaws
KittyGotClaws
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother was OCD about housecleaning, too. The problem was, I had to do the cleaning from a young age up until I left home. If I didn't do it to her specifications the first time, I had tho do it over until I got it right. I learned to do it right the first time. Lol

Vote comment up
21
21points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#29

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow No wearing clothes that fit, everything I owned was a couple sizes too big because 'I grew so quickly.'

Aurora320 , Ketut Subiyanto Report

Final score:
74points
Add photo comments
POST
almarako94 avatar
Almarako94
Almarako94
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's either because of being poor or your parents being scared you attract pedophile if you wear fitting clothes.

Vote comment up
43
43points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow During dinner we had each had to discuss 3 things we learned that day. If you didn't have three significant things to discuss you didn't get dessert.

anon , Nicole Michalou Report

Final score:
74points
Add photo comments
POST
almarako94 avatar
Almarako94
Almarako94
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It trains you to talk about your day, but it would be better if they talk to you right after you come home these first 5 minutes after you see your kids after school, listen listen listen, actively listen (ask question to what they say) and you'll get the smartest kid of the school

Vote comment up
28
28points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 86 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!