Great parenting skills can be passed on. One I picked up is mentioned in my book Dragon’s Tale; Family Night. We each took turns planning; a song to sing, a short lesson to teach, a game to play, and a snack. The first time my six year old directed family night he became a man. The book tells the story, with his new found power he made reservations and took us all out to dinner… to ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’.

Planning taught organizational skills and benevolent power. Teaching helped us to realize and confirm which ideas are important to us; honesty, work, books, family, cats, pocket knives. Playing a game every week bound us together and gave us the opportunity to put ideas of honesty, good manners, etc into action. My favorite was singing, I don’t do it well so when my children heard me they knew it’s a gift and for eons people have known coral reading, chanting, or singing binds people together very strongly.

Taking turns teaching and listening, sing about it, act it out in a game, all in less than an hour, and top it off with ice cream. Your children will know they have a place in this big world and they are valued and they loved. It seems to me many people search desperately for just one of these three things their entire lives, you and yours can have them now and always. nancymauerman.com

From the children’s book Dragon’s Tale