Thursday, November 08, 2007

Obey . . Obey . . . Obey


OK we're all now adults but it's still my house, my mortgage, my rules. (Gawd, I sound like a Dalek " Obey . . obey . . .obey . ." We have had a rule in our house for yonks "Let me know where you are going, who you are with and what time you'll be home."

OK When they were in their teens, I had some control over my younglings and frankly, keeping me informed has become largely habit. By obliging over the years, they have been granted more and more freedoms when their playmates were often not allowed to venture forth. I allowed a 16 year old girl to stay out all night during the Olympics . . .and a 16 year old boy to go camping in the wilds with others of his age simply because they were very good at practicing this little rule.

As they grow older however, they sort of think it's no longer necessary. Their life is their own and theyshould be allowed to do as they please. Not so, says the Dalek master, they must still inform me of their whereabouts so that I sleep at night, don't cook meals for people who are a no show or have nothing in the fridge when there are six for dinner that I didn't know about.

So, the rule stay's chickens, as long as you stay. It's simply good manners to let your parent, flatmate, wife, husband, partner or housemate's know your movements . . . except the bowel kind, that's just nasty.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember those days!

See when they move out and you know they won't be coming home, you go to bed and sleep easy.

BUT,and it is a big but, when the boomerang come home again you are back in that place of listening and not sleeping!

Give it time and they will go off and get married and the house will be yours once more.

Anonymous said...

You are right Baino, my parents are borderline stalkers when I stay in their house but when I'm in my own house (and live) alone, they couldn't give a shit what i am doing or where I am which is quite strange.

Anonymous said...

Maybe I should make a recording of that repetitive rule, might save me another ten years of repeating it. Have probably said "pick up your dirty clothes and put them in the basket" many more times a week and that never happens ... Sleeeeep .... what's that like again?

Terence McDanger said...

My Mum is the exact same. I could be white water rafting in the middle of a snake infested jungle and I wouldn't cost her a thought, but the minute I come home for a weekend she can't sleep until I come in from the pub and she can hear me slobbering my chinese meal all over the kitchen floor.

Good ole mums.

Anonymous said...

I still have to call me Mum every day, and let her know where I'm at and what I'm doing. If I don't answer her calls, she sends the law after me. Not a pretty picture. :)

Baino said...

GM: Trouble is, they all move back in again. We all left and my brother moved into a caravan in the back paddock, then my other brother moved back for 15 years,then I built a house next door!

Nonny: Ah, they give a shit, they just don't worry as much.

Anony: Nope. Sorry, pick up your clothes will go on into perpetuity. I have a 20 year old who still has trouble with the concept of 'in'

Terrence: Everyone knows that kebabs are the food of choice for drunks. Chinese just makes you hungry again in 10 minutes time.

Baino said...

JD: umm that's a bit obsessive! Every day? Once they leave home, every week will be just fine. (Then they'll come back to raid the fridge anyway!) Adam went house sitting for 2 weeks and I saw him 3 times and he called me twice. Once for doggy advice, secondly for a recipe!

Excellent Adventures said...

When I move out, I'll do you a deal. I'll come visit you every weekend if you do my washing and give me a few tupperware containers of frozen lasagne. Ok. Deal!