Think about the rules you meet in one day. There are rules for cars, streets, toys and games. Some of them are about keeping people safe. Some are about sharing and taking turns. Some are about how to play. Each kind of rule has a reason. Let us look at some of those reasons.
Some rules are about safety. A seat belt helps keep a person safe and secure inside a car. Numbers show how well it works. A lap and shoulder belt lowers the risk of a deadly injury by 45 percent in a car. In an SUV, van or pickup, it lowers that risk by 60 percent.
Streets have safety rules, too. People should stay out of traffic and cross at crosswalks or intersections. You may have heard that rules are only there to punish people. In fact, many rules are there to keep people safe. A seat belt rule is a good example.
How should a rule be given? Health groups say rules work best when they are clear and stay the same. They also say a rule should be explained in words a child can understand. The CDC says to tell a child why a safety rule matters, such as staying out of traffic.
Other rules help people share. When two children share a toy, each gets an equal turn, like five minutes each. A child can ask in a polite way, such as "May I please have it first?" Playing with other children helps a child learn about sharing and friendship. Preschool children learn to take turns. Even three-year-olds can solve a toy dispute by taking turns or trading.
Games have rules, too. In 1891, a teacher named James Naismith invented basketball and wrote its first rules. He made it an indoor game to replace boring or dangerous exercises at his school.
What makes a rule good? A good rule is clear and open, so everybody can know what it is. A fair law is for everyone the same. This is called equality before the law. It means no one gets special privileges, and that is the idea behind a fair law.
People have written down laws for a very long time. Hammurabi was a king of Babylon who ruled from 1792 to 1750 BCE. His laws were written down. His legal decisions were collected and carved into a tall stone pillar, so people could see them. The pillar was found at Susa in 1901 and is now in the Louvre in Paris.
Words to know
- intersections: where roads cross
- equal: the same
- privileges: special perks
- pillar: tall stone post
- decisions: choices made
The short version
People have rules for different reasons. Some rules keep people safe, like seat belt and street rules. Some help children take turns. A fair law is for everyone the same. Hammurabi, a king of Babylon, had his legal decisions carved into a stone pillar.
Quick facts
- A seat belt helps keep a person safe and secure inside a car.
- Health groups say rules work best when they are clear and stay the same.
- A fair law is for everyone the same, so no one gets special privileges.
- James Naismith invented basketball and wrote its first rules in 1891.
- Hammurabi ruled Babylon from 1792 to 1750 BCE, and his legal decisions were carved into a stone pillar.
Why do we have rules?
Rules have different jobs. Some, like seat belt and street rules, are for safety. A seat belt helps keep a person safe and secure inside a car. Some, like taking turns with a toy, help children share, so each gets an equal turn. A good rule is clear and open, so everybody can know what it is.
Why should a rule be explained to a child?
Health groups say a rule should be explained in words a child can understand. The CDC also says to tell a child why a safety rule matters, such as staying out of traffic. They add that rules work best when they are clear and stay the same.
