I have always been a rule follower--as long as I knew what the rules were. Authority figures intimidated me in school, so I did everything I was supposed to. I was a good girl in grade school, middle school and high school. It helped that I was a nerd/bookworm with next to no social life.
But when I got to college, I found out that there were rules but they were easy to bend and even break. I just had to be careful not to get caught. The first time I skipped class I was sure I was going to be caught--but since the class had around 300 people in it, my absence was not even noticed. Well, I noticed it when I took the test, but that was about it. I did learn that grades were a direct reflection of class attendance, most of the time. College was also the time where I got to date, party, got to football games and shhh, I even drank, some. That was definitely breaking the rules. But I was smart and lucky enough to not get caught. I had a few years where I broke a few rules, but I had fun.
Once I got out of school those bill things started to follow me around. Being an adult leads to following some rules anyway. Those rules are different from when you are a kid but the same principal applies. Follow the rules, bend what you can, don't get caught. At least as long as you don't want to live in a 4x6 room with lovely bars for decoration.
So I'm back to being a rule follower, mostly. I bend few rules every now and then, but most of the rules I bend rules are ones I've made myself.
I'm trying to teach to little boys to follow the rules too. It's a thankless job. Breaking the rules is so much more fun. Or not even knowing about the rules, that's even better to a small boy. But Nick and I are trying to instill the notion that following the rules is easier in the long run. After all, it's easier to get away with breaking the rules when you know what they are.
Go see Jen for more spins on rules--it's a rule!
Yes I agree, if you know what the rules are, then you can break them. I think that many rules are too specific and if you can lay out general rules that are more encompassing, then all of the little rules make more sense.
ReplyDelete