The Rules of Survival is an apt description of the kind of rules that Matthew, Callie, and Emmy must internalize as they grow up with their abusive mother, Nikki. In order to survive Nikki's wrath, Matthew and his siblings have to figure out ways to behave that won't set Nikki off and turn her on them.
Because he's grown up like this all his life, Matthew is shocked that anyone else—especially his sister Callie—would think of anything but just surviving out one day after another. When he finds her doodles with a "doctor" in front of her name, he's awed by her hopes for the future:
Dr. Callie McIlvane.
That was when I understood that Callie dreamed bigger than I ever dared. I only wanted us to survive. (10.10-11)
As the story progresses, the kids are taken away from Nikki and embraced by adults who really love and care about them. It's only when they are taken out of their traumatizing childhood home that they can think past the rules of survival and just live out their lives… you know, the way kids are supposed to.