Max doesn’t like to talk about work during dinner, but his boundaries regarding talking about work dissipate when he and Nancy are in bed.  This is a rule, but it is an implicit rule, it was never discussed and Nancy learned when they could or couldn’t talk about work while they were dating. But that Nancy knows this about Max reduces conflict and this is the purpose of rules.  Without rules families would have to constantly navigate through daily interactions increasing the chance for misunderstandings and instability within the unit...