It always amazes me how my two boys, raised in the same house with the same parents and the same rules and privileges, can be so very different in so many ways. But it can be hard, with my boys, to encourage their different personalities sometimes. Benjamin, like so many little brothers, idolizes Zackary and that means he wants to do everything his big brother does. Zackary loves LEGO, so Benjamin wants to play with LEGO. Zackary’s favourite cartoon is Sonic Underground, so Benjamin watches Sonic Underground. I know it’s only natural that my sweet three-year-old wants to be like his big brother, but I want him to be himself too!

So lately, Benjamin and I have been playing a game that Zackary and I used to play years ago. I call it The Question Game and it’s really just a silly way to both learn more about my son and encourage him to think for himself. I ask a simple question such as, “What is your favourite colour?” or “What do you like to eat best of anything in the world?” and then Benjamin and I both share our answers. I love learning more about my son using this game, but I also find that when we play together this way, he’s more likely to keep those things he loves in his mind and talk about them later. [Read more…]