House Rules for Foster Teens

Mine are posted on the Fridge and some are as follows: 1. No drugs/drinking 2. Help keep house clean 3. Teen is responsible for cleaning their own bedroom, bathroom and doing their own laundry. 4. Times posted when Teen is to wake up and get ready for school. 5. Electronics cutoff times posted I also have posted a list of consequences for not following the rules. That way everything is clear from the beginning.

I would do laundry and only because our laundry room is accessed through my DS's room and it's a privacy issue and the washer is expensive....not all kids know how or care to learn how to properly load and work the washer and dryer :) can you guess I've had a kid ruin the washer? LOL yup I have! What are your drop dead deal breakers? If there is something beyond this list that myself and others will give...ad it in. Here in our home. 1. NO drugs or alcohol (Zero tolerance) 2. No violence! (zero tolerance) 3. If it's yours, keep it picked up! 4. Electronics turned in at set time. No hassles either! 5. MUST attend school! Non negotiable! 6. Help with house/chores. Zero tolerance rules mean that if you do them, you will be moving and with a 24 hours notice. For us those deal breakers are: Setting fires. Drugs, smoking, alcohol. Violence. Harming little ones. Harming pets. Pooping and peeing outside the toilet (sorry, just not something I will deal with again! EVER!)

I agree with the washer/dryer. I DO have the boys (teens)bring their clothes to the laundry area to be washed. I will have them move things from the wash to the dryer. Our deal breakers are fire setting and harming animals. We don't have little ones and the kids we take have LONG histories of violence, although I will say only one kid tried in any way to hurt me (didn't succeed-and I don't count the young kids we have had). I had one kid hurt me when he shut my finger in the door, but it was not intentional and he ended up being arrested for DV for it (Not what I wanted). These were the rules we had posted: House Rules 1: Keep Hands, Feet, other Body Parts and Objects to yourself. 2: Shoes off at the door. 3: Clean up after yourself. If you take it out, put it back. If you spill it, wipe it up. 4: Treat and speak to others as you want them to treat and speak to you. 5: Pet the cats and dogs GENTLY. They were abused before. 6: The cats and dogs stay on the floor/couch. Do not pick them up without permission. Do not disciplineӔ the animals. 7: The cats and dogs eat alone. Hands off when they are eating or sleeping. 8: Listen when told to do something the first time. 9: Food stays in the kitchen. Fruit on the table can be eaten at any time kitchen is open, but must stay in the kitchen. Kitchen closes at 8:30 p.m. 10: Teenagers only are allowed in their rooms. Stay out of others rooms. 11: If you are not sure of something, ASK. I hear you on the poop/pee dig. We had an 18 year old poop and pee out the second floor window and pee all over the room... So gross. But we haven't had too many issues.

I agree with all the rules above. I would add a set bedtime. I would be careful allowing them on your wifi make a rule that you can look on their electronics anytime and no setting passcodes. In my house they have to be 15. good luck!

We divide our rules into don'ts and do's. We all follow the don'ts, but many of the do's vary person to person. We don't: 1. Hurt, harm, damage or break. People, objects, feelings, ourselves, anything! 2. Touch anyone without permission. 3. Yell inside. 4. Take or borrow things that do not belong to us. 5. Say things we know are not true. 6. Drink or use drugs. In our printed rule list, "we don't" is stated before each rule (otherwise, to a poor reader, it might look like rule 3 is just "yell inside"!). We all do: 1. Clean our own living spaces. 2. Keep our bodies clean and cared for. 3. Stay quiet during quiet hours. 4. Stay in designated area during quiet hours (which may be a room or a section of the house). 5. Help Mom with cooking in a rotation (Dancer, then Sunny, then Storm, then repeat). 6. Go to school and/or do homework as assigned. And different rules for different kids. Sunny has a number of rules about parenting Cloud, Storm has a bunch dealing with her behavioral history, etc. Dealbreakers: Violence towards another child in the home, or serious violence towards a parent. Serious firesetting with intent to burn down a structure. Having committed rape (would not accept that child in the first place). Consistent intentional wetting/soiling (we take older kids, mainly teens).

1) No one is allowed in anyone's bedroom except their own. You will be given a key to your own door that you may use to lock when you're not in it if desired. Do not be worried about the door alarms/motion sensors. They are there so we know when you're awake. They are not intended to limit your movement. 2) Food rules are posted in the kitchen. In general, if you need silverware to eat an item, it must stay in the kitchen. If it could potentially rot (i.e. fruit), it must stay on the first floor. We do allow some foods in the bedroom but you may ALWAYS go to the kitchen and eat there if hungry. 3) You must turn all cellphones/electronics in to DH when requested for a check. If your grades in ANY school subject are below a 78% average, you are not permitted cellphone or wifi use until after your homework is done. Games rated higher than E-10 or movies rated higher than PG may only be played/watched in the basement rec area with permission. See an adult for a key to access that room.3) We do not allow nicotine in any form, drugs or alcohol. We MUST report these to our agency. 4) Bedrooms at all times must be safe to walk through barefoot in the dark. If a quick glance into the room shows that might be dangerous, I will clean it while you're at school.5) You may do your own laundry or sort it into the basement bins for the housekeeper to do when she comes on Wednesday. Wednesday is the ONLY day laundry happens here unless you do it yourself. Laundry not sorted for her does not get washed. 6) Please keep your shower caddy in your bedroom to avoid others using your hair products/shampoo/favorite body wash. If it is in the bathroom, it is fair game for anyone. 7) You must clean up after yourself in the kitchen and bathroom. Any additional chores are paid. (see list)8) You must attend a public school daily unless sick. If you REALLY hate the public school experience but are still willing to learn, please talk to me and your counselor. Cyber school is usually a possibility BUT I am harder on you than any public school teacher will be. If you get up when your alarm goes off and go to school, there is no bedtime here. If you can't get up and go to school, bedtime will be imposed.9) All touch here happens with full consent. This means you ASK and wait until the other person says yes - including hugs, hand on arm, ANY contact. Failure to respond is not yes. Maybe is not yes. A 'yes' that is the result of coercion is not a real 'yes'. Negotiation is fine. If in doubt, do not have physical contact. We will give you the same respect.10) I must report to the Agency if you tell me you're having sex or I observe sexual behavior. If you have reached the age of consent. I or DH are willing to talk as long as there is no expressed intent on your part.Immediate Removal: 1) Violence towards anyone in the household; violence to objects (punching walls, for example) results in a fun anger management group and some practical lessons on repairing damaged items.2) Willful destruction of property belonging to another child.3) Making DD uncomfortable in any way (DD is socially oblivious so they have to be trying to make her uncomfortable)4) We have plenty of toilets. There is no acceptable reason not to use them. 5) Entering bedrooms not your own or attempting to 'sneak' physical contact of any sort with another child. 6) Any threats of false allegations or clear stated desires to go to another home.

1. Keep hands, feet, and all body parts to yourself-no exception 2. All chores are to be done promptly and correctly. No chores-no cell, no internet, no allowance. 3. Curfew is firm. One minute late is late! Be on time. 4. Profanity towards or about any member of the family is not allowed. 5. You spill it, clean it. You took it out, put it back. 6. You are only a teen for a little while-try to enjoy it. Not sure how ask mom! Rule 6 May seem silly but my teens need to be reminded of this

House rules are the guidelines that you set for living in your home. It is important to have house rules, especially when you are a foster parent. House rules help children know what is expected of them and what they can expect from you. House rules help us begin to predict the future. They help us know how to function in our surroundings. They help us learn how to plan ahead and make good choices.Parental Daily Magazine recommends some of the rules: 1. Do not lie, steal, cheat or break any laws 2. Do not use or abuse any illegal or prescription drugs 3. Do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes 4. No fighting, cursing, or disrespecting anyone 5. Clean up after yourself when you're done eating 6. Help keep the house clean and organized 7. You are responsible for cleaning your own bedroom, bathroom and doing your own laundry 8. I will decide what chores need to be done and you will help with the assigned chore each day Monday to Friday (weekends off) 9. No dating until age 16, curfew 10 pm until age 16 then 11 pm on school nights, midnight on weekends 10. Times posted when you are to wake up and get ready for school, if I have to wake you up in the morning there will be consequences.