Object of the game Increase household harmony by teaching children about their roles and responsibilities within their family. “All of these things,” explains certified Ottawa parent educator Betsy Mann, “are really about respecting other people. When you live together in any kind of community, you have to learn to think about other people.” And that means parents have to get in the game and explain the rules to their children.

Crime scene: the stairs

Evidence Various children’s belongings were placed on the stairs to be taken to the appropriate bedrooms. That was five days ago. Everything’s still there.

Mystery Why will the kids walk by their stuff, around their stuff, even step over it, but never take it with them?

Solution “To a parent, this is important, but a child is just not seeing it,” says Lorraine Mockford, an early childhood education instructor at Nova Scotia Community College. The answer: Bring it to their attention. “You say, ‘Billy, there’s your stuff on the stairs. Part of your job is to take it up and put it away.’” You’ll have to remind kids several times, warns Mockford, but eventually the message gets through.

Originally published in Today's Parent, November 2006