Growing up in a Pakistani household was like living inside a sitcom directed by your parents; every day came with its own set of weird, hilarious, and deeply emotional rules. Some of them made zero sense, but we still followed them like they were the Ten Commandments. Let’s revisit some of the most realistic and relatable ones we all experienced!
No Sleeping After Maghrib — Or You’ll Forget Everything
If you ever dared to close your eyes after Maghrib, you were basically signing up to lose your memory. According to desi parents, a quick evening nap would somehow make you forget not only your homework but possibly your own name.
“Utho! Dimagh kaam nahi karega phir!” they’d shout, as if you were about to enter a coma instead of just dozing for 15 minutes.
No Going Out During Exams — You’ll Forget Everything
During exam season, your house basically turned into Alcatraz. Even if your friends were going out for just a quick juice, you’d hear: “Agar bahar gaye, toh sab kuch bhool jaoge!” Meanwhile, you’re inside the house forgetting everything anyway.
Don’t Cut Nails at Night — Bad Luck Incoming
Want to avoid pareshani (problems)? Don’t touch that nail cutter after Maghrib. You’d sit there with talons rather than risk cosmic misfortune. No one really knew what kind of “bad luck” would come, but no one was brave enough to find out.
Whistling at Night? Invite the Jinns Over
Want to invite jinns into your home? Just whistle at night. According to our parents, every high-pitched “phoo phoo” sound was basically a personal invitation for supernatural guests to move in. Who knew you could accidentally become a Ghostbuster just by practicing your favorite Coke Studio tunes?
Shaking Your Legs? Say Bye to Money
The innocent act of shaking your leg while watching TV could single-handedly bankrupt the family. “Paise nahi tikenge ghar mein!” Who knew your fidgeting was a financial curse?
Don’t Sweep After The Guests Leave — You’ll Sweep Away All Your Wealth
Accidentally sweeping crumbs after dinner? “Ghar se mehmano ke janay bad jhadu nahi lagate, riz chala jata hai.” And just like that, you were left with a dirty floor and existential dread.
No Haircuts on Specific Days — Destiny Disrupted
Tuesday or Thursday haircut plans? Cancelled. “Aaj nahi katwate.” Even your split ends had to follow an astrologically approved schedule.
Don’t Eat Directly From the Pot — Or It Will Rain on Your Wedding Day
We’ve all sneakily eaten biryani straight from the dekchi at midnight. But according to desi logic? “Shaadi ke din baarish hogi.” No bride wants her mehndi to get washed away!
Bringing Shoes Inside? Disrespect Level 100
Even if you mistakenly stepped one foot inside with shoes, you’d hear: “Pura ghar ganda kar diya!” Bonus scolding if a guest witnessed it.
No Black Clothes on Happy Occasions — Bad Omen
Eid, weddings, birthdays? “Kuch bright pehno, black nahi!” Black was considered unlucky, turning your dream minimalist outfit into a family scandal. Desi parents took “wear colors for good vibes” to another level.
Mirror Obsession = Madness
Staring too long in the mirror? “Pagal ho jaoge!” Another creative way to limit our self-love and reduce bathroom line queues.
In the End…
We may have rolled our eyes back then, but these little nuggets of “wisdom” gave our childhood its signature flavor equal parts love, drama, and unintentional comedy. And let’s face it: we’ll probably pass some of these on to our kids (with a few extra warnings about screen time, of course).
Which rule haunted your childhood? Share it with your siblings and see who followed the most bizarre ones!
