‘Did anyone else’s parents have really strict rules about random stuff?’ – 23 household laws that will make your own family seem positively normal

When you’re a kid your parents are omnipotent, god-like figures who are infinitely knowledgeable and right about everything.

But when you become an adult yourself you realise they often got things wrong and some of their opinions were just downright strange.

Over on the CasualUK subreddit, user SuzCoffeeBean asked this question:

Growing up, did anyone else’s parents have really strict rules about random stuff?

My Mum wouldn’t let us watch Grange Hill because it was a “bad influence”. We did not live in a nicer area, nor did we go to a nice school.

And the replies showed they were very much not alone. Check these out…

1.

‘Not my parents, but when I was in school I went to my at-the-time girlfriend’s house for dinner one night. Wanting to be a good guest I tried to make polite conversation over the meal, only to be met with weird looks and increasingly awkward silence.

After we were done my girlfriend took me aside and whispered “We don’t usually talk during meals”. I opted to decline the next time I was invited over.’
–Carwanderful

2.

‘My mum hated that I watched wrestling. When I was setting up the VCR to record the Royal Rumble overnight she got mad and said I wasn’t allowed to.

After an argument she said “Well, why’s it on at 1am if it’s not for adults?!”

“Because it’s a different time zone mum.”’
–the_con

3.

‘Not allowed to read a video game manual. When we got a new game the box and manual went straight in the bin and we were only allowed to keep the cartridge. I got in trouble when I was caught trying to get the manual out the recycling so I could find out how to play the game.’
–Raichu7

4.

‘My mum wouldn’t let us say the word “lesbian” because she claimed it was foul language. We had to say “gay woman” on the rare occasion the subject came up. I have no idea why that particular word was targeted.’
–lime-enthusiast

5.

‘When I was a child I had a friend whose dad banned her from listening to an Arctic Monkeys song because it had the word “scumbag” in it, which he thought was slang for a used condom.

Ironically, the rest of the song was actually about prostitution…’
–queen-adreena

6.

‘Wasn’t allowed to use any Scottish slang despite being Scottish. Now as an adult, many people assume I went to an all boys public school and have a rich Dad because of the way I speak, despite growing up in a single parent household on benefits with four kids.’
–TomorrowOtherwise422

7.

‘Wasn’t allowed to say oblong as it was common, had to say rectangle.’
–johnny_bogroll

8.

‘We were only allowed to watch “one piece of Australian crap a day” in the house. We chose Neighbours over Home and Away.’
–forkingbumbleforks

9.

‘Sitcoms like Friends or Fresh Prince weren’t allowed on at all if my mum was in the house. Simpsons was allowed because it was a cartoon.

I’m in my 30s, and she comes over to my house and there’s any American stuff on the TV she’ll comment “Ugh, you don’t watch this American rubbish do you?”. As if it’s so much worse than watching an episode of Pointless or Deal or No Deal for the 1000th time in her house.’
–lelpd

10.

‘We weren’t allowed to use the family computer after 9pm because “that’s when the paedophiles were on”.’
–Open-Apartment-4937

11.

‘My mum wouldn’t let me join Cubs/Scouts because it was a ‘paramilitary organisation’.’
–Otherwise_Living_158

12.

‘When my brother and I were little enough for it, we weren’t allowed to watch Pingu. Given that my parents were quite lenient generally and we were very young, we never really questioned it.

I found out later, as an adult, that it was purely because my parents found Pingu’s noot-noot sounds really annoying.’
–IOwnAOnesie