10 Household Rules
For Young Guests

Three girls playing on floor with building blocks.

10 household rules for young guests. Okay, you can't exactly post these household rules for your guests like you might post rules for your own kids. 

But still, they are guests in your home, and it's good to have some guidelines in mind, should you need to enforce them. Especially for pint-size guests!

Also, kids need to be able to have friends over. But they also need limits they understand ahead of time. This is partially for their benefit.

If a friend wants them to do something they don't feel comfortable about, they can always fall back on, "Sorry, I can't. My Mom's got a weird rule about that." 

Let them use you as their excuse. It's what we're here for.

Whatever your household rules, they should address neatness, politeness, and safety. Your child needs to go by all your standard house rules as well as rules for company. My household rules for young guests include:

1.  Hosts Plan Ahead for Guests

Hosts, and this includes kid hosts, plan ahead for guests. Have some activities in mind and perhaps even set up for when the guest arrives.

2.  Eat Only in the Kitchen

No eating anywhere but outside and the kitchen (for kids anyway!)

3.  No Shoes In the House

Banning outdoor shoes inside will keep the carpet and floors cleaner. A strategically placed entryway shoe cubbie makes it easy for guests to slip off footwear as they enter.

Consider placing a wicker basket next to it filled with various sizes of unisex slippers for guests to wear inside.

4.  No Loud Music

No loud music allowed. Kids should keep the noise heard throughout the house down to a dull roar.

5.  Household Rules For Young Guests: Behave

No running, shrieking, or roughhousing inside. People and things can get broken when excited little ones run wild inside.

6.  Put Things Away After Use

Put away toys, games, etc. after use and before moving on to the next activity. This alone will cut down on a majority of after-playdate cleanups, as well as teach kids about caring for their possessions.

Every child that played with the toys should be part of the cleanup routine.

7.  No Movies or TV without Permission

No movies or TV without permission. Make sure the kids know it's not open season when it comes to the movie channels on TV. It's a good idea to check up on the kids for this one!

8.  When Siblings Have Guests, They Are the Sibling's Guest

When siblings have guests, they are the sibling's guests, and other brothers and sisters are not allowed to horn in on the fun - unless invited.

9.  Phones Are For Business

Phones are for business. Conversations must be five minutes or less and play needs to be interactive - in real time. 

10.  Did I Mention No Running, Shrieking, or Rough-Housing?

Okay, maybe I did. But it bears repeating.

Guests Must Abide by Household Rules

Guests must abide by all household rules. Young visitors should be aware that the penalty for infraction of these house rules is a call to his or her parents for immediate pickup. Period.





You Might Like These:

  • It's a fact of life: Kids love sleepovers. Sleepovers can be quite pleasant, actually.  So long as you follow the rules. Here are my Top 10 Sleepover Rules for Success.

    10 Sleepover Rules for Success

    It's a fact of life: Kids love sleepovers. Sleepovers can be quite pleasant, actually. So long as you follow the rules. Here are my Top 10 Sleepover Rules for Success.

  • These fun kids school lunch ideas can help you make the midday meal more appealing to your gradeschooler.

    Kids School Lunch Ideas

    These fun kids school lunch ideas can help you make the midday meal more appealing to your gradeschooler.

  • Planning tips for family parties. How to plan a soiree where people of all ages will be comfortable, entertained, and safe.

    Planning Tips For Family Parties

    Planning tips for family parties. How to plan a soiree where people of all ages will be comfortable, entertained, and safe.

  • Spa themed sleepover games. A spa themed sleepover is one of the most popular party themes for girls. And these party games can help make your soiree a grand success.

    Spa Themed Sleepover Games

    Spa themed sleepover games. A spa themed sleepover is one of the most popular party themes for girls. And these party games can help make your soiree a grand success.

  • How to create new family traditions. You create traditions every day - they're anything that you do regularly as a family. Here's how create new family traditions that work.

    Create New Family Traditions

    How to create new family traditions. You create traditions every day - they're anything that you do regularly as a family. Here's how create new family traditions that work.

  • 10 tips for school mornings. Tips for warding off  the madness of school mornings can help ensure everyone gets out the door on time.

    Tips For School Mornings

    10 tips for school mornings. Tips for warding off the madness of school mornings can help ensure everyone gets out the door on time.

  • Family life presents challenges to scheduling, cleaning, and even peaceful co-existence among siblings. These tips and articles can help simplify life at home.

    Simplify Family Life

    Family life presents challenges to scheduling, cleaning, and even peaceful co-existence among siblings. These tips and articles can help simplify life at home.

  • If a separate room isn't in the (house) plan for guests, here are a few easy ways to provide privacy for your guests sharing sleeping space in your home.

    Guests Sharing Sleeping Space in Your Home's Common Areas

    If a separate room isn't in the (house) plan for guests, here are a few easy ways to provide privacy for your guests sharing sleeping space in your home.

  • Here are just a few kids party planning ideas they can tackle before the big night so they'll

    Kids Party Planning Ideas

    Here are just a few kids party planning ideas they can tackle before the big night so they'll

  •  This slumber party survival guide includes tips to help ensure the night is a success (and survivable) for all.

    Slumber Party Survival Guide

    This slumber party survival guide includes tips to help ensure the night is a success (and survivable) for all.

  • Baby, it's cold outside! Here are three easy ways to warm up your home without increasing your energy bills.

    Warm Up Your Home: 3 Easy Ways

    Baby, it's cold outside! Here are three easy ways to warm up your home without increasing your energy bills.

  • Ideas for family traditions. Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. Here are just a few traditions family ideas to consider for your family.

    Ideas For Family Traditions

    Ideas for family traditions. Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. Here are just a few traditions family ideas to consider for your family.

  • Creating new family traditions. Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. These ideas for new family traditions can help make a good thing even better.

    Creating New Family Traditions

    Creating new family traditions. Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. These ideas for new family traditions can help make a good thing even better.

  • Tips for siblings sharing a bedroom. For many families, it's just not possible to give siblings a room of their own. These tips for siblings sharing bedroom can help keep the  peace.

    Tips For Siblings Sharing A Bedroom

    Tips for siblings sharing a bedroom. For many families, it's just not possible to give siblings a room of their own. These tips for siblings sharing bedroom can help keep the peace.

  • Back to school tips. August means one thing for parents: It's time to start getting our summer slackers geared up.These back to school  tips can help streamline the process.

    Back to School Tips

    Back to school tips. August means one thing for parents: It's time to start getting our summer slackers geared up.These back to school tips can help streamline the process.

  • Slumber party etiquette rules. Not only should these slumber party etiquette rules be the rules for kids at your child's slumber party, but also for your child at other kids' slumber parties.

    10 Slumber Party Etiquette Rules

    Slumber party etiquette rules. Not only should these slumber party etiquette rules be the rules for kids at your child's slumber party, but also for your child at other kids' slumber parties.

  • THelp overnight guests feel at home. The most precious thing you can give overnight guests is privacy. Follow these tips to ensure that your guests and your family have the best possible experience.

    Help Overnight Guests Feel At Home

    THelp overnight guests feel at home. The most precious thing you can give overnight guests is privacy. Follow these tips to ensure that your guests and your family have the best possible experience.

  • These family 2 strategies ocus on family parties, seasonal entertaining, and hosting guests - both of the day-visit and overnight variety.

    Family 2

    These family 2 strategies ocus on family parties, seasonal entertaining, and hosting guests - both of the day-visit and overnight variety.

  • Tips for kids homework success. For best results, studying should be part of the daily fabric of your child's day. He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, and goes to school.

    Tips for Kids Homework Success

    Tips for kids homework success. For best results, studying should be part of the daily fabric of your child's day. He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, and goes to school.



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.