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2.1. Infant nursery

Pathfinders recognize the need to set up a separate infant nursery for newly arrived family members. It is important that the infants be kept in their own rooms separate from their parents. This establishes for the new infant the reality that there is a special place in their home for them. It assists children to adjust to this new surrounding and to learn to feel comfortable and safe in it. Parents seek to move babies into their own room by 2 months of age. The establishment of their own rooms creates physical boundaries which the children can call upon as they develop a sense of self-reliance and self-determination. The nursery is the first site of self-caring and self-comforting which will carry these children on in their quest for responsible living and self-esteem.

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2.2. Baby proofing

Pathfinders baby proof their homes once their children reach the age of self-mobility. To insure their children have the freedom to explore their environment, the home is made safe for them. These parents do not resent putting up fragile artifacts. They see no problem is putting stereos, video cassette players, tape players, televisions, and other electronic gear out of reach of children. They move all poisons, cleaners, and other dangerous materials into safe places out of reach of children. They put child-safe latches on cupboards and dresser drawers. They lock all closets and storage rooms which are unsafe for children. They remove rifles, guns, and knives from the reach of children and place them in locked containers or out of the house. Pathfinders encourage the adults in their lives whom they visit to likewise baby proof if they are to visit their homes with their young children. They do not visit homes which are not babyproofed so as not to place the children into an environment which is either unsafe or will result in them being overly anxious and watchful. By baby proofing homes, Pathfinders make it possible for their children to feel free to be themselves and explore at their own will. As children reach elementary school age the parents are less cautious and begin to allow their children to recognize their responsibility to respect the property of others.

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2.3. Room assignments

Pathfinders assign rooms for each of their children according to their house size and financial capability. The bedroom assignments are based on giving older children their own rooms so that they can have privacy and insure a sense of modesty for them if of opposite sex than their younger siblings. If rooms are shared, they are by siblings of same sex at any age and opposite sex when below 11 years of age. In shared bedrooms, rules and guidelines are set up which insure the children in the room are responsible for the cleanliness and orderliness of their sections of the room. Along with bedroom, the bathrooms are also assigned. The bathrooms are typically shared and rules are set up to insure cooperation and cleanliness. Schedules are set up to insure open access and timely use of the facilities. Pathfinders set up guidelines and rules to insure room assignments are handled in a responsible way to insure the children are fairly treated and respected.

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2.4. Private rooms

Pathfinders declare bedrooms and bathrooms private after they are assigned to only one child or to be shared by two or more siblings. They also declare the parents' bedroom and bathroom if available as private. Private rooms are declared off limits to the other family members who are not assigned to these rooms. This sets up a family rule of respect for each other's physical boundaries and privacy. It sets up the expectation of mutual respect and harmonious living. Children learn soon that if they do not respect the privacy of others they will lose their trust in them. The homes of Pathfinders are clearly defined by designated spaces which are public and private and this gives the inhabitants a sense of safety and security in this arrangement.

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2.5. Public rooms

Pathfinders designate kitchens, living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, play rooms, laundry rooms, patios, porches, and guest bathrooms as public rooms. They set up rules and guidelines about the cleanliness and orderliness of these rooms. All of the family members are held responsible to follow these guidelines. The public rooms rules and guidelines are often much stricter and more tightly enforced than those for the private rooms. The delineation of public and private rooms assist children to learn the importance of respect for others' property and respect the needs of others who desire cleanliness and orderliness in their lives. This assists children to learn the concept of social responsibility.

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2.6. Cleanliness and orderliness of rooms

Pathfinders establish specific rules and guidelines on the cleanliness and orderliness of both public and private rooms in the family home. Typically these parents require that the public rooms be neat and orderly. This means that things are picked up and put in their appropriate place. The cleanliness of the public rooms becomes the responsibility of the family. The dusting, vacuuming and polishing get assigned as chores. The public bathrooms are cleaned and picked up as family jobs as well. The children begin to be assigned the dusting and vacuuming jobs when they reach elementary school years. The picking up of public rooms usually is a daily routine and cleaning once a week or as needed. The real test for Pathfinders is the setting guidelines for private rooms. Private rooms are the domain of the inhabitants and the children are taught at an early age what the standards for cleanliness and order are for private rooms. The natural consequence of not picking up and cleaning private rooms is the "unsightly and uncomfortable" state they can become. If children do not find this "mess" uncomfortable enough to be internally motivated to clean the room, often the parents will determine a logical consequence to get them motivated. However, a good rule of thumb is to keep the doors of private rooms closed at those times when parents are ready to yell, scream, rant, and rave. Since the rooms are private, Pathfinders leave it up to their children to determine when they need to be cleaned. To insure public hygiene, parents do not allow food or drink to leave the kitchen or public eating rooms. Also in geographic areas in which homes are sprayed for bugs, the parents require the private rooms readied for the bug exterminator to insure family health and safety. Dirty clothes, wet towels, and garbage are frequent visitors of private rooms. Pathfinders allow their children to cope with the smells, distress of having no clean clothes or towels, and piles of mess to walk over to encourage them to keep up with the tasks of cleanliness and order.

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