The Victorian Nursery.

Nursery Rules.

1. Let your first, last and best confidant be your Mother.

2. Never shout, jump or run in the house.

3. Never call to persons upstairs or in the next room: if you wish to speak to them go quietly to where they are.

4. Always speak kindly and politely to the servants, if you would have them do the same to you..

5. When told to do or not to do a thing, by either parent never ask why you should or should not do it.

6. Tell of your faults and misdoings not of those of your brothers and sisters.

7. Carefully clean the mud or snow off your boots before entering the house and be prompt at every meal hour.

8. Never sit down at the table or in the parlour with dirty hands or disordered hair.

9. Never interrupt any conversation, but wait patiently your turn to speak.

10. Never reserve your good manners for company but be equally polite at home and abroad.

While in a fit of nostalgic parenting, these Rules hang above poor little Finleys cot, I think the only one that really matters to me is that he should make me his first, last and best confidante…

Though woe betide him if he dares to sit in the parlour with disordered hair!!