I’m a gypsy & my daughter has rules to live by – there’s no drinking before marriage & I have the final say on her mates
A GYPSY mum has revealed the strict rules her six-year-old daughter has to live by.
Heidi Mcdongh Clee took to social media revealing the expectation she has for daughter growing up in a household which is half Irish traveller and half English gypsy.
She said: “I’m an Irish traveller and my husband’s an English gypsy so she is half and half.
“Because of that, some of the rules I’ll be putting on my daughter will be coming from my upbringing and and not my husbands, so there’s a mixture of the two.”
The first rule she has is that her daughter will not be able to drink alcohol before marriage adding she wasn’t allowed to when growing up and expects her daughter to do the same.
She also revealed: “Me and her father will have final say over everywhere she’s going, who she is going with, everything.”
Heidi added that this includes going to partys and what friends she can have.
“We’ll have final say on her company, whoever her friends are,” she said.
“If for whatever reason we say no, you can’t mix with them, that’s it.”
The mum also added that she was more than happy to get her daughter everything she wanted, whether it’s her nails done or clothes.
Sleepovers at friends’ houses were also on the banned list – but Heidi explained she was allowed to sleep at families houses and could have friends stay at hers.
Although her daughter doesn’t have a phone yet, Heidi revealed that when she does she will be expected to let her parents monitor it.
Another rule for her daughter is that she cannot approach a group of men that aren’t in her family. for instance, if the family have workmen over at the house.
It is normal within traveller and gypsy communities for the men and women to be in separate groups when socialising as Trewley Precious, a gypsy woman, explained.
“Definitely be a curfew – don’t get me wrong, if there’s a wedding or a party or whatever I can be more flexible,” she explained.
“But just day to day, there will definitely be a curfew.
“These rules don’t feel particularly big, these are normal, this is how I was raised.”
The clip posted to Heidi’s TikTok account @h.mccc went viral and people were quick to share their thoughts.
One person wrote: “I’m a non traveller and my parents raised me in a similar way it’s taught me to be aware and respectful and so are my kid.”
Another commented: “As extreme as people may think these rules are, in this day and age and with the sick people who are about, these ‘rules’ are to protect her!”
“I’m not a traveller but do most of these with my girls. Their safety is mamas priority,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “I actually get where you’re coming from. Especially with the phone.”
Someone else added: “Love this old fashioned ways are the best ways always.”
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