Now that we have the community space, the kids are in our home more and more. This requires house rules.
The main ones that have to be repeated are:
stay in the community space, unless you have permission
no hitting
no standing on the tipsy tables
We have also started implementing apologies. We have been teaching “sorry,” as well as “okay” to serve as a shorter and simpler version of forgiveness.
And the best new rule was implemented by Stephen just today: Leave your weapons at the door. Fake guns, plastic swords, sticks, rubber knives: whatever you have that appears violent or is being used violently against others remains in a pile at the door until you leave.
I love this for a lot of reasons. One being that there are less sorrys; another being that I don’t have to fake getting stabbed or shot and collapsing to the floor all afternoon. And last, I love hearing Stephen enforce it, standing at the door saying, “Awh Awh Lay, leave your weapons at the door.” And then later, “Saw Eh Say, you forgot your sword! Saw Eh Say!”