For better or for worse, every family on Earth has its fair share of quirks and behavioral oddities. So, it helps to be polite, tolerant, and a tad more forgiving when you’re invited over to visit for dinner, a party, or a sleepover. However, some family rules and traditions are so weird that they might affect you quite a bit.
Some confused (and slightly creeped out) guests took to a thread on AskReddit to share the most bizarre house rules they’ve ever personally witnessed when visiting someone else’s place. You’ll find their stories as you scroll down.
#1
My friend must ask his father before he is allowed to eat anything in their house. One time our group of friends wanted to go out on a Friday night. We asked if he could come and our friend said he was grounded. We asked him what he did this time and he responded, "I ate a bowl of cereal when my dad wasn't home."
Probably the stupidest thing i've ever heard someone get grounded for.
Probably the stupidest thing i've ever heard someone get grounded for.
60points
#2
I had a friend who instead of washing the dishes after a meal just put them straight back in the cupboard. I thought his parents would freak out but it turns out it was just something they did in their house.
Whenever I went over I always made sure to eat beforehand.
Whenever I went over I always made sure to eat beforehand.
59points
#3
No fighting over the heel of the bread. The father once off hand told his oldest children that the heel of a loaf of bread was the best and made them want it instead of the regular pieces. By the time there were 4 kids sometimes fist fights would break out over the heels. Loaves had been opened on both sides, or loaves were a mess because someone reached through the sack and pulled the back heel out. For a while there was a turn system where the heels were promised to a child for each loaf, but that fell apart when one went to summer camp and lost their turn. One time my friend wasted an afternoon waiting for his mother to come home with a fresh loaf of bread instead of going out and playing. I witnessed fist fights over the bread most people throw away.
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49points
To be completely fair, it’s usually best to give your hosts the benefit of the doubt. It is incredibly difficult to see how peculiar some of your family rules and traditions might look to an outsider. It’s only by interacting with lots of different people from various backgrounds that you can then begin to look at your own situation and upbringing more objectively.
Some of these rules and traditions form so naturally and gradually that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when they became ‘a thing.’ What’s more, some behaviors are so deeply ingrained in your daily routine that you don’t actually notice that you’re doing them. Reading through the thread, it’s actually quite a revelation to hear that other families also used to prioritize the heel of bread (it’s crunchy and delicious!) while others just threw it away (which also makes some sense).
When you start thinking about all of these dozens of little behaviors, you start to realize that every family is weird… though some are much more bizarre than others. For example, it’s natural to be weirded out if someone doesn’t wash the dishes after dinner and just puts the plates back on the shelf, dirty.
#4
In college I had a friend that lived with his grandparents when he went to school. Before they'd let him leave the house his grandmother would say "nothing good happens after midnight" and he would have to repeat it.
If I was there, I would also have to repeat the phrase.
If I was there, I would also have to repeat the phrase.
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47points
#5
I had a friend whose mom required her to sit on the floor. Never a chair, couch, bed, or other piece of furniture. I went to her house once and sat down on her bed and she flipped out, made me get off it and spent several minutes smoothing the sheets to make it look flat again. I think her mom thought "kids are dirty" but the rule was in place even after bathing and wearing clean clothes.
...
I also have a family member has a "no pants dragging the ground" rule. In addition to taking shoes off, you have to roll up your pants when you come into the house. Last time I visited, I brought jeans straight out of the dryer, never worn outdoors, and changed into them when I got there. She still gave me dirty looks.
...
I also have a family member has a "no pants dragging the ground" rule. In addition to taking shoes off, you have to roll up your pants when you come into the house. Last time I visited, I brought jeans straight out of the dryer, never worn outdoors, and changed into them when I got there. She still gave me dirty looks.
44points
#6
I posted something about this once before.
They yelled at me for not letting the cat that was walking around on the table eat from my plate. I love cats, but what the hell?
Apparently gently nudging the cat away from my food was "interfering with the freedom of another sentient being".
I was 12 I think. I was pretty freaked out.
They yelled at me for not letting the cat that was walking around on the table eat from my plate. I love cats, but what the hell?
Apparently gently nudging the cat away from my food was "interfering with the freedom of another sentient being".
I was 12 I think. I was pretty freaked out.
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43points
But speaking up about these rather strange behaviors can be incredibly awkward and embarrassing. You’re a guest, after all! So, if something’s concerning you deeply, you could, for example, pull your host aside for a friendly but frank chat. Tell them how it affects you while also not sounding judgmental.
How open you can be is obviously going to depend on the type of relationship you have with the host. If someone’s super close to you, you can joke around more and be less guarded. Someone who’s still half a stranger, however, might react very strongly to any criticism about how they go about their business at home.
You could also reach out to the host at a later point in the future if that sort of behavior continues. Or you could simply reevaluate the friendship you have and come over for dinner less often if something bothers you that much.
#7
Not a house but a dorm room--these two guys had a big list of words that were banned within the room. A lot of them were swear words (not because they were opposed to swear words, but just because using a lot of them is a lazy way to speak), but others were things like "good," and "bad." They didn't really get mad if you said them, but it was still kind of challenging to avoid using "lazy" words when you were visiting.
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41points
#8
Not so much a rule, but a weird thing. My mother in law had an aunt who was a self proclaimed "hand dipper." When you ate a meal at her house, she used her hand to scoop up a portion and put it on your plate. It could be mac n cheese, a casserole, whatever.
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41points
#9
My best friend in elementary school had a paddle on the wall in the kitchen engraved with the bible verse about "sparing the rod". Next to it were different infractions and how many swats with the paddle they were worth.
I was later asked not to return after I said "Oh, God" after a sad story.
I was later asked not to return after I said "Oh, God" after a sad story.
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41points
What are some of the weirdest rules or traditions that you’ve personally witnessed after being invited to come over to someone else’s home? What was your first reaction when you realized something bizarre was happening, dear Pandas?
Are there any strange rules in your home that you think might leave some of your guests a tad confused? We’d love to hear your opinions. If you feel like sharing, feel free to write your thoughts in the comments below.
#10
I had a roommate that was very particular about her home. She called it OCD, but I don't like throwing around that term. She was never diagnosed, and coped pretty well most of the time.
She always said she didn't expect me to follow her crazy rules, but I could tell it stressed her out, so I just did my best to remember and follow some of the "rules" so she didn't freak out as much.
* All towels had to be folded the "right way" and stored in a specific order. They also had to be the same color. I had to hide my towels in my own room because she couldn't stand to see my brightly colored towel amongst her gray ones.
* All shampoo and soap bottles had to face the same way, with the label facing outward. All cans in the cupboard had to face the same way as well.
* If the vacuum tracks started fading, it was time for another round. There were times she felt the need to vacuum at 3am.
* All shoes had to point the same way, be with their pairs, sorted from larges to smallest AND should be sorted by color. I can't remember how the colors went. I never got that one right.
* When she felt stressed at work, she would tear apart the house and clean EVERYTHING. I couldn't be in the way, so I either stayed in my room or left the house. Her cleaning binges could last 8 hours or longer.
* She refused to use Tide laundry soap because she believed it left a coating on her clothes because they illuminated under a black light. I didn't have the heart to tell her almost all soap is going to do that. The same night, she turned the light onto the carpet, she was up until 5am cleaning all of the carpets in the house.
* She was also pretty superstitious and hated it if I brought anything in the house that could be associated with the occult. I had to hide a lot of incense, candles, necklaces with charms, and some books. Lord of the Rings would have sent her over the edge.
Funny thing is, I'd live with her again in an instant. At least the house was always clean.
She always said she didn't expect me to follow her crazy rules, but I could tell it stressed her out, so I just did my best to remember and follow some of the "rules" so she didn't freak out as much.
* All towels had to be folded the "right way" and stored in a specific order. They also had to be the same color. I had to hide my towels in my own room because she couldn't stand to see my brightly colored towel amongst her gray ones.
* All shampoo and soap bottles had to face the same way, with the label facing outward. All cans in the cupboard had to face the same way as well.
* If the vacuum tracks started fading, it was time for another round. There were times she felt the need to vacuum at 3am.
* All shoes had to point the same way, be with their pairs, sorted from larges to smallest AND should be sorted by color. I can't remember how the colors went. I never got that one right.
* When she felt stressed at work, she would tear apart the house and clean EVERYTHING. I couldn't be in the way, so I either stayed in my room or left the house. Her cleaning binges could last 8 hours or longer.
* She refused to use Tide laundry soap because she believed it left a coating on her clothes because they illuminated under a black light. I didn't have the heart to tell her almost all soap is going to do that. The same night, she turned the light onto the carpet, she was up until 5am cleaning all of the carpets in the house.
* She was also pretty superstitious and hated it if I brought anything in the house that could be associated with the occult. I had to hide a lot of incense, candles, necklaces with charms, and some books. Lord of the Rings would have sent her over the edge.
Funny thing is, I'd live with her again in an instant. At least the house was always clean.
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40points
#11
I slept over a friends house in grade school one time. He prepared us a bowl of cereal the next morning for breakfast. Not thinking ANYTHING of my behavior, I didn't finish the milk. I just never used to. I don't know.
He was like "You uh...gonna finish that?"
"Uhhh oh...I uh...I don't think so? Does that matter?"
He panicked. Absolutely panicked. I think he put it down the toilet before his parents came back into the room.
I don't know what the rule was, exactly, but FINISH YOUR MILK OR DIE would be my guess based on his reaction. I still feel bad about it. I was like 8 and didn't think.
He was like "You uh...gonna finish that?"
"Uhhh oh...I uh...I don't think so? Does that matter?"
He panicked. Absolutely panicked. I think he put it down the toilet before his parents came back into the room.
I don't know what the rule was, exactly, but FINISH YOUR MILK OR DIE would be my guess based on his reaction. I still feel bad about it. I was like 8 and didn't think.
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39points
#12
I moved across country years back. I was looking for a room through craigslist. You find some pretty wild house rules on there
Showers can only be had on specific days
no one in common areas after 10 pm
no overnight guests
vegans only
i had more freedom living with my mother.
Showers can only be had on specific days
no one in common areas after 10 pm
no overnight guests
vegans only
i had more freedom living with my mother.
39points
#13
When I was about 15 I was invited over to my friends house. The house rule was that no one spoke during dinner and its not like they watched TV or something. Dead silence. When they did communicate it was so formal "may you please pass me the salt" then silence again. Suffice to say it was the most awkward dinner I've ever experienced and I no longer went over for dinner.
36points
#14
I went to a friend's house where the friend's mom made everyone take off their shoes and socks when they got inside. Not totally outrageous yet. But after I took off my flats I told her that I couldn't take my socks off because I was actually wearing tights.
“That's fine,” she said. “Have a seat and hold on a minute.” I sat down on a kitchen stool.
Five seconds later she came back with a pair of meat scissors, bent down, grasped my feet, cut off the ends of my tights, and rolled them up to my ankle so that my bare feet were showing!
I was totally shocked! She didn't even give me a chance to change out of my tights, she just went for it. Had no problem destroying her guest's clothes without warning! Needless to say I never wore tights again in that house.
“That's fine,” she said. “Have a seat and hold on a minute.” I sat down on a kitchen stool.
Five seconds later she came back with a pair of meat scissors, bent down, grasped my feet, cut off the ends of my tights, and rolled them up to my ankle so that my bare feet were showing!
I was totally shocked! She didn't even give me a chance to change out of my tights, she just went for it. Had no problem destroying her guest's clothes without warning! Needless to say I never wore tights again in that house.
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35points
#15
I know people who pour the milk they don't finish back in the carton. Ewww.
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32points
#16
My neighborhood friend and I would hang out almost every day of the summer. We would go out exploring in the woods with a bunch of our friends and would usually come back all muddy and tired. My friend was very nice and would offer me water and food. His parents would take those away from me if they saw me with them saying they were only for their children. He was always allowed to eat at our house yet I'd have to walk back if they started having any type of meal. The worst though was his next door neighbor who had a daughter our age and when we were hanging out we all got muddy (we were 10) the girls mom proceeded to take her daughter and my friend into her house to clean them up and told me I wasn't allowed to enter and that I could use the hose. Some people just know how to ruin a kid's self esteem.
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32points
#17
In my friends house you were only ever allowed to drink water. No juice, no beer, no milk. Water. Even if you took your own drink to her house, you had to drink water.
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30points
#18
When I was in the military I lived in base housing. They have a lot of rules that most HoA's would have but one always stuck out to me. We could only set our A/C to 10 degrees below the outside temperature. At first this kind of made sense because we didn't pay the power bill, they did. However I was stationed in west Texas where the average summer temperature was well over 100. They got onto me a lot about using too much power, I kept mine at 70 all year, until I proved to them that 90 degrees in your home is considered unlivable conditions.
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30points
#20
When we were little (like 7-10). When i had sleep overs at my friends house, his mother would force us to take a dump every day. She heard stories about ( i dont know whats it called in english) organs f*****g up for some kids that didnt go to the bathroom enough. So each night id go to the bathroom,play in front of a mirror for a few minutes,flush and go out.
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29points