Spend some time playing a board game with your child. During the game stand up and tell your child, “I quit. I don’t want to play anymore.” Or if you are losing, say, “I can’t win, so why should I bother?”

Your kids will probably protest. Go back and finish the game then ask them the following questions:

• How did you feel when I quit?
• How did my actions affect you?
• Do you think that your actions affect others?
• Why is it important to see something to the end?
• Why shouldn’t you give up just because you are losing?
• Have you ever given up because you were losing?

Children learn when something affects them personaly. By doing this activity your child will become aware that our actions do affect others. During the week look for ways to bring up an incident were your actions or your child’s actions affected another person.

I am a single mother working two jobs. When would I have time to play with my kids.

In life we do what is important to us or what we think we should do. Is is more important to have a clean house or to have happy kids?

I chose to play with my kids. Sometimes the house didn’t get clean for weeks. Oh well. To me my children and my relationship with them were more important. I got over what I thought my house should look like.

I have been a single mother working two jobs for 14 years. Sometimes I had to drag myself up to play with them, but to me making sure my kids knew I loved them and wanted to be with them was what was important.

Everything we do has a consequence. Now, as teenagers, they make sure to spend time with me. Because I chose to make my children important when they were young, they have chosen to make me important. It is so worth it.

So go get a book, coloring crayons’, building blocks, football, games, or make up and play with your kids. You will be so glad you did. After you have had fun come back and tell me what you did and how it went.