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My baby, Ebube recently said “Mummy, some of my friends have never been to Tutti Frutti!” Hmmm … all my children can find their way to Tutti Frutti with their eyes closed. Student of the Month – some FroYo to celebrate. Got a good grade – how about some KFC. Pre-birthday celebration – SFC sounds yummy. TGIF – let’s go to Silverbird Galleria. Name it, we know it. Been there, done that … and we may just have the T-Shirt. DDK is not a fan of our celebration activities but I always felt like he was raining on our parade. Going out is fun. It doesn’t mess up the house. We get to see what’s new in town and best of all, when we get home, everyone is tired and dozes off! Ebube’s profound statement was a wake up call to me. He unknowingly started a revolution in our home and set us free from the bondage of our capitalist society. I thought about that statement and quite honestly, I still am. Some children have never been to Tutti Frutti. It’s definitely not a money issue. These parents can afford it. It may be a decision by some lazy parents who just don’t like any form of activity, but after some research, I realized it’s a conscious decision by some parents to keep it simple; engage their children creatively and reward them with worthwhile gifts. Growing up as a kid in Enugu, there were very few options of where to go and what to watch on TV. My younger brother and I with friends or cousins had to come up with creative ways to have fun. We would play “House”, put up a show, hang-out in our tree house, play the famous “name, place, animal, thing”. We once put together a neighbourhood beauty pageant. Periodically, its great to have a family outing but its definitely better to engage kids in more creative activities. Some of these activities (tried and tested) include: 1. Start a family tree project. Do your children know their history? 2. Learn a secret code/language, a new language or even their own language (lol) 3. Go through old pictures and maybe make a scrapbook or an album. 4. Create time for arts and crafts. I usually give the kids a theme, bring out the arts and craft boxes and let them express themselves. 5. Challenge the kids to write short stories or a comic. 6. Having a family sports day. A kid’s self-esteem is boosted when his/her efforts are recognized and acknowledged. It’s fine to grab ice-cream, catch a movie, get a gift they have been begging for, but what if your kids are really smart? How expensive will that be? I have a celebration dance that’s embarrassing but makes my kids feel very special. I hope to make time for formal family dinners where achievements will be acknowledged. (24 hours is not enough for a working mum) Like most kids, my kids sometimes accuse me of being old-fashioned and stuck in a 1990 time capsule. At home, the whining starts when I announce the activity, then resistance sets in as we start, but as we progress, the kids get really into it and it becomes fun. If it’s a task you give your kids before you go out, the effectiveness may be … erm pretty low. However, if you are part of it, I almost guarantee excitement and fun. Kids love to do activities with their parents! As the mother of four boys, these activities expose my kids’ creativity and talents. I know who my Picasso is, it is clear who my family strategist is, I know my budding writer and linguist. When you know your children’s potentials, you are best equipped to nurture them into greatness. So, my baby’s statement opened court, the jury found me guilty, sentenced me to re-thinking how I am raising my kids and I am now learning; actually we are all learning new ways to have fun and celebrate. God bless mothers! May the Lord continue to strengthen us and give us the wisdom and grace to raise great leaders. *DDK-Daddy Delta Knights -SK