The K Family Code of Conduct

Inspired by a thread on Sonlight a couple of years ago, I decided our family should have a "Code of Conduct." ML & I talked through what we might include, I made up a draft, and he, of course, took it, reformatted it, changed all the graphics, and made it look 100% better. Cause that's what he does. He even put the K family crest that he'd found when researching genealogy a few years ago in the center. Very stately.

You'll just have to take my word for it, though, because Blogger does not like .tif files, apparently, and ML's not home right now to show me how to make it into a .jpg (read: make me move out of my chair and do it for me). However, I'll list the items on the Code of Conduct for you, because you weren't likely to be able to read them on the tiny photo attachment, anyway.

Obey God, your parents, and other adults in charge...Quickly, Cheerfully and Completely.
Honor one another with your...Words, Actions and Attitudes.
Listen carefully.
Rule your spirit.
Work diligently.
Help and encourage one another.
Think and do what is right.
Talk to the offender, then to an adult.
Ask your family for hugs.
Don't speak to strange giraffes.
Be thankful.
Don't roller skate in a buffalo herd.

The first two are the rules emphasized by the preschool and children's divisions at our home church, respectively. They, in and of themselves, pretty much cover everything, but we had a few specifics we wanted to add in. They're the things that we find ourselves saying over and over again throughout the day.

Theoretically, we would refer back to the Code of Conduct and even ask the child which one they're violating when they get in trouble. We're not so good at that, although it does hang on our refrigerator.

I am planning to print a copy on nice paper and have it framed to hang in a prominent, central place (the kitchen is actually kind of out of the "flow"), so that we can refer to it more regularly.

Bet you're wondering about the last one and the third from the last. Those were my mother's generic advice statements to us as we would leave the house when my brother and I were teenagers. Basically, it meant: you know what to do and what not to do, just remember to choose the right ones. It sure beat getting lectured repeatedly on the same things. And my kids love it when I similarly admonish them.