What were you not allowed to do as a child because it 'wasn't nice'?

Whistle - my Mum said it would make Our Lady cry (I was brought up Catholic). I learnt to whistle anyway!!

Dont crunch sweets Dont kick the back of other peoples seats= Cinema/buses ( Dont stand up on bicycle pedals ( always thought my Dad would either see me or just know)

Callistemon absolutely! My mother had her own batty ideas of “ common” basically anything she personally didn’t like! You could have been a rich Roman Catholic but according to my mother you were still “ common” and a teacher living in a council house still “ common”. Looking back she was bonkers! Ridiculous thing is though that if you were so inclined you could have described her family as a child as “ common” as they were working class and in rented tied accommodation ( like everyone working for the railways in those days!) she would have denied it of course as she didn’t have her criteria applied! Eg she was white and went to a Church of England!

Chewbacca
Was anyone else taught to curtsey when they were a child?

I remember being taught to do that at infant school in about '66.
We were never told - at least as far as I remember - when we might ever need to do it, but from reading fairy tales, I imagined it was for if/when we met a queen. As yet, I've not needed this skill, but you never know ...

Being poor or hard up did not mean someone was common, to those posters who may think it was the same thing.

People could be better off or rich and still be common apparently!

Whistle - too unladylike!

I had to learn to curtsey - I'd completely forgotten that. I think I was meeting someone important but can't remember who so they can't have been that important.
It certainly wasn't royalty.

Don't ask me to do it now.

Be moody or answer anyone rudely! or bite my nails that really wasn't acceptable or "nice"

Ever been had?
My mum was strict, but not quite that bad.

Was anyone else taught to curtsey when they were a child? I have a clear memory of my grandmother telling me that polite little girls should be able to curtsey when introduced to their elders (mainly a maiden aunt and a seriously bad tempered uncle). I can remember being taught how to hold my skirt/dress out at the sides and putting my right leg behind me whilst bobbing down! Or was I just the victim of a 1950s family practical joke?

wasn't not easn't!

Nanna58 It easn't only your nan who thought that about navy knickers. When my parents received the uniform list before I went to secondary school, navy knickers plus white liners were there. Not that at school anyone ever checked!

My nan! That was just one of the ‘not nice’ things. Another was not to eat a banana without using a knife and fork- what on earth could she have imagined eating it the other way could have resembled???

I wonder where that idea came from?

No navy school knickers next to my skin because that ‘ wasn’t nice!’ so I had to wear another white pair underneath Thrush a constant companion!

Suki, that reminds me - my OH has been reprimanded several times by two of our young grandchildren for saying 'shut up', because that isn't allowed in their house

Once, while staying at our DD's house I said ,"I hate maggots". Our GS , then aged four, turned to me and said pompously, "We don't use the word hate in this house". That put me in my place.

Isnt wasnt nice to say "hate" but "loathe" was allowed.
On the bus coming home from School we couldnt take our hats off in case there was a prefect on the bus, then we would be reported.Oh the shame of it, think if things were so simple these days!

Chewing gum, reading comics, wearing navy pants next to my skin (white ones underneath), using slang, biting my nails, smuggling the dog upstairs, eating fish and chips, mentioning birth or sex, being friends with someone whose mother was a lone parent, numerous table manners, drinking tea or coffee before teens, wearing unpolished shoes.
My mother was a snob! Wow, my childhood was such fun!

ps plus one that Dad started - no arguing, fighting etc.
I sometimes wonder whether that was due to his wartime experiences.
I've always preferred shalom too.

I am so enjoying this thread, there were lots of rules in my childhood and the one which has stuck with me is eating or drinking in public.
I do not even like having a cup of tea standing in the Church hall after the service on Sundays, need to sit down.
I was at a family day with DGS at a local Museum here(Belgium), I needed to take some medication mid-morning and as there was no eating etc in the Museum. I spoke to an attendant and no problem go ahead. I then went behind a pillar and took the pill with some water. On returning the Woman just smiled and said, Mum and Dad, no eating in public.
So it is not just a British thing!!!!

Up to the age of 10 I led a very free life - very little adult supervision (WW2). My friends and I were quite wild.
So it came as a shock when Dad came home and we got back to 'normal'. Most of the restriction mentioned above.
Plus stay away from pubs altogether.

I don't think that insisting on a few rules like good table manners made my mum less fun or warm and loving.
My dad was very caring but probably wouldn't have noticed whether my hair was long or short, whether or not I wore trousers or skirts etc.

.....or I’m suffering from memory loss ?