AS A family we are a team, and when any team works together certain rules need to be in place for it to work effectively.

Having a few house rules can be a useful way of helping all family members understand their role within the family unit and how each of you should behave.

Rules should be agreed by all family members and discussed at a family meeting before being agreed. Give older children the task of designing the family rules list.

Things to remember when agreeing family rules:

- Rules should be few – four or five is sufficient.

- Rules should be fair (observed by ALL family members not just the children).

- Rules should be easy to understand and follow (keep them simple!).

- A consequence should be agreed for rules that are broken.

- State positively what should be done rather than what not to do i.e. use our inside voice rather than don’t shout.

If there is a certain behaviour occurring in the home that needs to be ‘nipped in the bud’ then agreeing some rules now could save a lot of upset in the future.

When dealing with misbehaviour, as parents it is easy to fall into certain parenting traps where we are constantly battling with our little ones.

As I have mentioned in other articles, you are your child’s most powerful role model. What your children see and hear in the home they will most certainly imitate and repeat. Therefore, it is essential that all agreed rules and consequences are observed by every family member!

See www.parentannbabycoach.co.uk

Next week: The pros and cons of screen time