When becoming a parent , many people set clear rules and boundaries for their children in their household that they must follow. Some parents are more strict with their kids, while others are a tad more lenient.
There are some who have curfews and bedtimes, and others who lead in “gentle parenting.” Whatever the rules are in a parent’s household , they oftentimes have reasons behind all of their choices. However, some of those “rules” may be controversial.
In a recent TikTok trend, parents began to share the parenting rules they implement in their homes.
On TikTok, a new popular trend is to “stitch” together two videos to answer a question prompt. For example, TikTok user @kathleen.jernigan recently shared a TikTok video where she prompted parents to share the “parenting rule that you have that some people might not agree with.”
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One mom on TikTok shared some rules that may come off as slightly shocking.
TikTok user and mom Fawna shared that in her household, she has some concrete rules her children follow. One of them has to do with using swear words. Many parents usually have a rule where kids are not allowed to swear in the house. Some parents reprimand their kids for swearing by taking things away or even making them put money in a jar.
In Fawna’s household, her children are allowed to use swear words when they turn 13.
The mom said at 13, her kids are allowed to use swear words in the household. However, she has rules for how they use swear words, as well. Kids have to use them in the “right context,” and they are not allowed to use the words disrespectfully or towards any adults.
In addition, she sets “morning boundaries” with her kids.
In addition to using swear words, her children are not allowed to touch, bother, talk, or pester their mother until she has had her morning coffee. She does reassure TikTok users that she makes sure her children have everything they need in the morning—breakfast, snacks, juice—but, they cannot be up in her business until she has her caffeine.
The biggest rule Fawna has is about paying rent.
The mother shared, as well, that at the age of 16, her kids have to get a job and get their driver’s license. Then, they have to begin paying rent. While it seems rather “crazy” to have teenagers paying rent, the mom has a reason behind it.
The rent money is saved for when the kids decide to move out.
Fawna shares that she doesn’t actually use the money to pay the actual rent, but instead she saves the money and puts it aside for her kids. Eventually, when they decide to move out, she gives them all of their rent money back in order to give them a bit of a “jump-start” for when they leave home.
Some people on TikTok thought this was amazing.
A lot of commenters on Fawna’s video shared that they thought her “rent” idea was amazing. The fact that she is teaching her children good work ethics by getting a job but also looking out for them and giving them a sum of money to start off with—that they earned—is a great lesson.
Others shared that they liked her “boundaries” in the morning.
While some may think that her rule for the “no talking, no touching” before her coffee is excessive, some parents said that setting boundaries with kids is important for both the parent and the child. And, it gives mom time to have her own moment and it’s good for her mental health, too.
There were many who felt 16 was a bit “too young” to work and pay rent.
Although Fawna’s kids aren’t exactly paying rent , some commenters said 16 is too young to be keeping down a job and having to go to school. One TikTok user pointed out that some kids are enrolled in things such as sports and other activities that may prevent them from working and paying the “rent.”
And, there were some parents who didn’t agree with swearing.
While Fawna has no problem with her kids “respectfully” using swear words, some said on TikTik that it “sets the wrong tone” for kids to speak that way. In addition, some pointed out that speaking that way at home means the kids will think they can speak that way in public, too.
What do you think of these parenting rules?