@upgradingkatie: 5 rules I gave my family as a mom who is leaving survival mode behind: 1. Mama does not answer questions shouted from another room. Come find me. Use a normal voice. Ask one clear question. I am no longer participating in house-wide yelling as a communication system. 2. Every day gets two 10-minute rescues. Timer on. Music on. Everyone helps. Even the toddler picks up. I do not just become the family janitor while everyone else lives their best life. 3. No one can touch me while I’m eating. I will feed everyone. I will not be climbed on, begged from, touched with sticky hands, or asked for six things before I’ve had three bites. 4. We don’t make every feeling mama’s assignment. You can be bored. You can be disappointed. You can be mildly uncomfortable. I will comfort you, but I will not fix every normal human emotion. 5. The day has a hard stop. Kids go to bed, the house closes. Toys go away. Kitchen gets contained, and mama is off duty. Follow along to see what systems I’m building to help moms get out of survival mode and reduce their mental load.
I implemented the rule that my kids can no longer say “I’m hungry.” They have to come to me with 3 options of snacks and I approve or deny the request 😂
2026-05-31 18:11:00
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Timmmayyy :
My kids: HAVE YOU SEEN MY SHOES??? Me: HAVE YOU CHECKED IN YOUR ASS? They stopped yelling questions a long time ago
2026-05-31 15:19:49
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SRMBEN :
It’s a we house not a me house. Is our saying. I felt so proud when my 10 year old had his friend over after school. His friend asked, “you have to unload the dishwasher?” My son, “bro, it’s a we house, not a me house.”
2026-06-01 15:09:29
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Ellie :
In our house, my husband made the rule that mom gets to eat her entire meal before anyone else asks for seconds. It has been a game changer for our meals!!
2026-05-31 16:45:08
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stacym1182 :
These are amazing! I’ve also started asking, “are you trying to use my brain or my body to do something you can manage yourself?”
2026-05-31 19:50:04
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tipfilms1 :
#5 is why so many people think stay at home parenting is such a hard job. There has to be a hard stop when you get to just be a resident and not just an employee of your own home.
2026-05-31 23:43:36
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StaceyG :
Another one for older kids “tell me two ways you tried to solve the problem yourself before coming to me” or “tell me 5 places you looked for xyz before coming to me complaining you can’t find it”
2026-05-31 21:08:49
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Dancing with Sirens :
“I will comfort you, but I will not fix every human emotion” I NEED THIS AS A POP UP ACKNOWLEDGEMENG BUTTON
2026-06-01 00:21:41
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Sarah :
When my kids were little, I said they had to “find my face” if they wanted to talk to me in the house! 🥰
2026-06-01 14:07:06
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Alicia :
I LOVE these!!! 👏
I just started a new rule. The laundry has to be turned the right way (not inside out), separated (shirts pulled out of hoodies, underwear pulled out of pants), and put in the laundry basket. If not, it does not get washed! My oldest son (9 years old) came to me looking for pants to wear to school (right before bed). I did not scrabble to wash a pair of pants for him and verbally repeated the rule. The next morning he had to wear jeans (which he hates) and as soon as he got home from school he went through his dirty laundery and found items that he wanted washed and asked me politely if I could wash them for school the next day. Absolutely!! 👏
2026-06-02 17:00:41
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Courtney :
My kids are 4 months, 1, and 2. When can I implement this lol
2026-06-01 01:05:31
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etiennepaddy :
‘Boredom is a choice’, ‘we help each other in this house’, ‘we eat what our body needs then what our body wants’ and ‘good things happen to good children’ are big ones in our house
2026-06-02 18:26:08
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midwesternalaskan :
My husband looks at me like I’m crazy when I say the house needs a reset every night. It’s my # 1 rule. Toys. Dishes. Clean counters. Clean table. Clean floors. Otherwise we start the next day “out of routine”
2026-06-01 10:36:35
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user572393766907 :
My children understood all of these. My ex did not.
2026-05-31 16:30:55
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Nicole | Healthy mom life :
The “ no one touch me while I’m eating “ 🙌🏼
2026-06-01 15:39:55
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TuffleHufflePuffle :
Jobs get done while kids are awake. Evening is for parents.
2026-06-02 17:02:02
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Katie K :
“I can’t hear you when you’re in another room.” “Please don’t touch me while I’m eating.” “Have you tried looking for it before asking for help?” Holding personal boundaries is key for raising respectful kids. 🙌🏼
2026-06-01 13:55:59
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Cristina de Almeida :
Love this
I have a few rules to:
1. Mama's food it's not automatically shared. If you want a bite you have to ask and I have the right to say no.
2. I'll not do for you the things you can do by yourself
3. Kids on bed, Mama's relaxing time
4. If I'm in the bathroom I'm unreachable, unless is an emergency
2026-06-01 17:12:39
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Gretchen Ronnevik :
I added to my list a couple of years ago: I don’t answer calendar or schedule questions while driving. I don’t keep it all in my head. Either remember yourself or bear the weight of waiting to find out.
2026-05-31 17:17:36
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Elizabeth Hassell :
I would like to add - taking a shower is not a break that is necessary hygiene do not recommend “ why don’t you go take a shower” when I say I’m overstimulated and need a break.
2026-05-31 20:43:28
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Avarie Horton :
how did you communicate this to your family . was it in a family meeting style ? truly asking because i love this idea but i don't want it to come across in a negative way to them. i love these new boundaries for you though !
2026-06-04 01:37:18
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Beautiful_Disaster_1992 :
These all sound magical as a current overstimulated mom
2026-05-31 17:57:02
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OkWhatever :
I hate being the janitor. Hate it!!!!
2026-06-01 04:07:33
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Grace S :
some people thing that setting personal boundaries with your kids makes you a bad mum. its absolutely doesn't! It teaches them so many life skills to have that modelled to them
2026-06-02 05:22:49
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Moonlight Mama :
Trying to be an emotionally regulated and available parent while nobody is respecting or taking care of you is the HARDEST thing I’ve ever done. I’m going to try these. I go to bed every night feeling like I failed the day being overwhelmed and under appreciated. I’m so done being walked all over! Momma cooks, cleans, takes care of everyone else but I will not accept any more disrespect and complaining and yelling and asking me to do things you’re fully capable of. 🥰
2026-06-01 17:07:09
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