The Germs
My dad had a rule: when you’re sick, don’t eat anything for the first 24 hours to "starve the germs." I’m not sure how scientific it is, but when you’re sick, you usually don’t feel very hungry anyway, so I still find it easy to stick to this rule.
Red
We were four siblings, and to avoid mixing up our toothbrushes, each of us always had the same color: my two sisters had green and blue, my brother had yellow, and I had red. Somehow, I still instinctively pick a red toothbrush whenever I shop.
The Plate
I eat everything on my plate—but I insist on serving myself. Even though I can afford it now and we’re not struggling like when I was a kid, I still can’t throw food away.
Check-In
Whenever I go somewhere alone, I always "check in" with someone—my husband, sister, or best friend—so someone knows where I am. Another rule I keep is using coasters. My mom used to annoy me about this as a kid, but now I’m just as particular.
Detox
Our parents allowed a maximum of two hours of TV daily. The only exception was if a movie was longer—we could watch it all but had to turn it off right after. This rule applied to computers too, so two hours of screen time was the daily limit. After that, it was board games, gardening, or reading.
I used to think this was strict, but in my twenties, I realized it was a blessing. I could spend whole weekends glued to a video game or series. Since returning to the two-hour rule, I feel better: I meet friends more, read more, and get more done. I’m still grateful to my parents for this.
No Phones
My dad’s rule was no phones in the bathroom. He said it wasn’t hygienic and that it kept us there longer. I found it annoying as a kid, but to this day, I don’t bring my phone to the bathroom—and I’ve passed this on to my husband and kids.
A Few More…
I try to step in the middle of floor tiles. If there’s a pattern, I follow it because stepping off means "I’m dead because of lava." When I enter a new place, I always step in with my right foot—it’s supposed to bring luck. (Don’t ask why.)
And you can judge me if you want, but as a woman, I totally stand by the sock-and-sandal combo sometimes: if I leave home in sandals on a sunny day but it gets chilly at night, I just put on socks—and that’s it!
Treats
Whenever my mom goes somewhere, I still expect her to bring me something.
Costumes
My cousins and I are all over 30 now, but we still celebrate carnival with costumes. The family jury scores creativity, originality, and execution, and the winner gets a wellness weekend—so the competition is pretty serious.
Shades
I had a coloring book that my mom kept just so she could sit me down to color whenever I was upset or crying to calm me down. I got so used to this that I still do it as an adult. When I’m stressed, I sit down and color—it still works.
