Are you already counting days until Christmas? All gifts bought and wrapped? If not, don’t worry. There is still time, especially if you were planning taking it slow. But even if you haven’t, take it easy. 

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This last weekend I spent at the golf tournament. I don’t play golf yet, but I decided I will sometime soon (like next spring). My husband was photographing the event and we were driving around in the golf car. It was so much fun:)

Once, we stopped to wait for the players to hit their balls and I was observing their decisions. They were standing at one side of the small pond, while the hole was on the other side. And they were pondering the length, which clubs to take, how to hit…

But the distance was quite large and I was calculating:”If I would be playing… if I hit hard, it might not be enough and the ball might end in the pond, but if I play safe, the ball would stay on this side of the pond and I would need to hit again, losing points.”

And then it stroke me. It’s just like our decisions in life.

Think about it! How would you play? Would you play safe or would you go for it no matter what? Would you rather go slow or give everything and risk losing something?

When I asked my girls to do some simple stuff around the house, they immediately started complaining: You are giving us so much to do; it’s so difficult; it will take us whole afternoon; we are having school holidays and you are making us work and so on and so on…. You know how that goes?

Annoyed with their complaining I asked: “Those are really simple tasks like taking the trash our, how long do you think it will take you to do them?”

And of course they answered: “It’s so much work! We will do these for the whole afternoon”.

I said: “OK, let’s see.”

Then I prepared a table with tasks and left some space for notes. When they start performing those little tasks, I measured time and as you might imagine they did everything in 15 minutes. But it was fun and because of that it was not so difficult to do.

So, next time you want something from your kids, make it a challenge:

1. Measure how much time something will take them to do
2. Make a competition – who will be first to finish the tasks
3. Let them guess how much time will they need for the task and see how close they got
4. Set a time goal and see if they can perform within the specified time frame

Just like the kids learn through play and the play is their job, it will be so much easier if you make their “job” a play. Let them do something at their own pace and even their own way. As long as it is done what do you care how it is done.

There are so many positive effect of laughing, both physical and emotional, that you just can’t ignore!

Laughter relaxes the whole body and relieves physical tension and stress. It boosts the immune system by decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. And last but not least protects you from the heart diseases, because it improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow.

When laughing you can’t feel angry or sad. Humor helps you shift perspective. And you are so much more fun to be with.

Read more about the benefits of laughter at http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

So why don’t you make it a laughter day?

• Laugh for no reason!
• Smile to strangers!
• Make fun of things and events! (Just be careful not to offend anyone!)

Watch how your laughing gets contagious and how it spreads all over the world.

You like this game? You might also like “50 Law of Attraction Games for Children”.

Lay still on the ground and get all relaxed. Watch the puffy clouds sailing above your head.

Look for familiar shapes and make up a story about them. Where are they going? What are they seeing from above? What are they talking? Are they happy or angry?

Think about different stages and transformations of the cloud – from being cute little cloud to huge storm cloud that brings wind and rain.

Discuss with the child different stages in human life and how every stage has its own responsibilities and challenges and joy and happiness as well. Tell him about constant changes, and how we too have our ups and downs.

Remember how children could brag endlessly in front of their friends about what they have. It can be really annoying, but can you make a fun of it?

Get them list all the things they really have.

Help them see beyond material things (although they will probably start with them). Put on a list all their friends, things in their neighborhood and the environment (like fresh air, water, woods …). Don’t forget to mention their rights (like freedom, schooling…) and their feelings (towards themselves, other people and from others to them).

You can even make a competition, who can list more things.

Or go even further and find the pictures of everything listed to post somewhere as a reminder.

The game will show your kids that they already have lots of things that they can enjoy and be grateful for. They will also help them appreciate the NOW and to live in the moment.

Did you like the idea? Post your comments below!

Or check out other 49 ideas in the workbook “50 Law of Attaction Games for Children”.

If you were an animal, which one would you choose?

Would you be brave as a lion? Hard-working as bees or ants? Deceptive as a fox?

Now think about these questions:

• Why would you select this animal?
• Which characteristics would you like to have?
• What would you do with your power (or brains)?
• What would be your message to the people?
• Would you choose to help someone special with the quality you possess?

I would really love to hear your answers. Please post your comments below.

And if you liked the idea, you might also like other 49 games and activities in the workbook “50 Law of Attraction Games for Children”.

When our Tina (the younger one) was at the summer camp, we went to visit her.

She was having great time with the scouts, where everything was really natural, even tables and benches were freshly made from the tree, they make the fire to cook  and they wash themselves in the river.

It’s a tradition that parents spent the Sunday with the kids at the camp and get involved in different activities.

So, we packed, together with some food and extra clothes:

• cooler box (to have our drink fresh and cold)
• GPS navigation (to find the way)
• portable DVD player (if Anja gets bored in the car)
• 2 iPod’s (to have the music if radio signal is lost)
• 3 mobile phones (everyone took its own; just in case…)
• 2 cameras and a portable disc to download pictures (again, just in case…)
• and of course for each device extra charger, cables and plug-ins for the car electricity…

And we were going to enjoy our family time together at the wilderness of the National Park?!?!

Well, of course we left everything in the car to be with the kids and to have a good time with other parents, but it makes me think.

Why don’t you assign at least one day for being unplugged. Leave behind all the devices and just enjoy your time! Find places you would never go, explore the nature and use nature’s materials to play with them. Do you know how to make a water mill from branches?

Summer is a great time to meet your neighbors. The days are longer, the evenings are warm and everybody is more relaxed.

So… invite your neighbors to the party!

It doesn’t have to be a big burden for you. Don’t complicate and stress over it. Have your neighbors join you in the preparation. Decide on the date and delegate the assignments.

Each family could bring some food and drinks and prepare a game or an activity, such as relays for the kids, treasure hunt, face painting, football…

If you want to give a little more, collect charity donations or help a family in a need with some clothes and school supplies.

“…When I get older I will be stronger
They’ll call me freedom, just like a wavin’ flag
So wave your flag, now wave your flag, now wave your flag…”
(Waving Flag by K’Naan)

If you watch the World Cup or not, you could not miss the anthem song, as it can be heard everywhere you go. 

If you were to compete or represent your family to the world, what colors would your flag be? What message would you want to give to your fans?

Find the pictures and words and put them on your flag to represent your family, your values and ideas, your mission and your wishes.

I would really love to see your flag! Post a picture or describe it in the comments below!