What are the unwritten/unspoken rules in life?

[Anonymous]

My tween asked me this today on the drive to school and I’ve been wondering all day. I told them I think the biggest one is to always be kind, but I realize that’s obvious. What are the actual real ones you’ve discovered?

[Anonymous]

It’s so cultural and regional! I’ll try:

Ladies first.
Seats on trains, buses and lifeboats go to the elderly, pregnant women, and older women first.
Stand on the right of the escalator unless you’re in Japan (actually that’s written everywhere but the US).
Hold the door for people with babies or full hands.
Try not to do #2 in someone else’s small house or in an office with a small/single bathroom.
Don’t talk about parties in front of people who aren’t invited.
Don’t eat or drink in church (this needs to be written; people have started bringing Starbucks to mass at my Catholic Church which is just weird).
Serve others at the table first before you serve yourself if you’re hosting.
“Family hold back”: when you’re hosting, you don’t take anything nice or fancy until everyone else has a chance at it. Time-consuming cookies on the cookie platter=guests only. Crab cakes, caviar, the one pink frosted sprinkle donut=guests first.

[Anonymous]

There are too many to list. Tell your tween to tell you what THEY think the unwritten rules are and go from there.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be pushy! So many kids are rude and ask for exceptions, better grades, second chances despite teachers/parents/coaches/advisors telling them no. Accept the consequences and try harder next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s so cultural and regional! I’ll try:

Ladies first.
Seats on trains, buses and lifeboats go to the elderly, pregnant women, and older women first.
Stand on the right of the escalator unless you’re in Japan (actually that’s written everywhere but the US).
Hold the door for people with babies or full hands.
Try not to do #2 in someone else’s small house or in an office with a small/single bathroom.
Don’t talk about parties in front of people who aren’t invited.
Don’t eat or drink in church (this needs to be written; people have started bringing Starbucks to mass at my Catholic Church which is just weird).
Serve others at the table first before you serve yourself if you’re hosting.
“Family hold back”: when you’re hosting, you don’t take anything nice or fancy until everyone else has a chance at it. Time-consuming cookies on the cookie platter=guests only. Crab cakes, caviar, the one pink frosted sprinkle donut=guests first.

These are all just manners, you could find in a book on manners.

[Anonymous]

When someone says "don't worry about it" that means "you don't have to pay me back."

[Anonymous]

Be kind.
Especially children and animals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When someone says "don't worry about it" that means "you don't have to pay me back."

Or does it? Are they actually keeping track and you very much do have to pay them back in some way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When someone says "don't worry about it" that means "you don't have to pay me back."

Or does it? Are they actually keeping track and you very much do have to pay them back in some way?

One unwritten rule is that whenever you have a conversation with someone, you have to try to interpret what they REALLY mean as well as what they verbalize, clearly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When someone says "don't worry about it" that means "you don't have to pay me back."

When someone says don't worry about it, you should say thanks, my treat next time

[Anonymous]

There are 2 kinds of people in the world: those who return their shopping carts to the corral and those don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When someone says "don't worry about it" that means "you don't have to pay me back."

Always offer to pay once, or to split the bill. Then just graciously accept and say thank you.

[Anonymous]

Your relationships are everything. Friends, family, work. Value and invest in relationships and you will have a happy life.

[Anonymous]

Learn to assess the effects of your actions, words, and demeanor on others.
Figure out what a potential adversary's true motives might be.
Never assume a man has done something just because he said he did.
Make it easy for people to do favors for you by doing the prep work (i.e. bring a pen to someone you'd like to have sign something).

[Anonymous]

A little sex with your partner goes a LONG way toward making everything else easier.