I recently deleted my little guys game on his device.  He lost all his progress that he was working on for months.

Let me explain… it was an accident! I was trying to help organize his home screen.  I was trying to move around his google classroom app and his school stuff so he can easily access it.  So, I held in on one of the apps… it started to shake… I dragged it to its new location….”Excellent!” … I continued to organize his screen.  Somehow,  in the process,  I hit the little “x” up in the corner of one of his fav games… Oh dear!  I was thinking “no biggie” just re-install it and it should all be saved! NOPE! GONE!  He was  so upset.

He didn’t lose it on me.  No screaming or anything.  He was just disappointed  because the game was important.  It was a game that helped him become inspired to do something he loved.  It was a Sushi Restaurant game where he built the restaurant up from the ground.  He created recipes and learned all about the type of ingredients.  He was proud of it.  As an aspiring chef who wants to learn all about the foods of the world it was very fun and engaging.

I felt like crap!!  He was doing this for two months… had a booming business… than a month ago I wiped it clean. Despite it not being intentional… I felt so bad.  However, being the good kid he is,  he just told me not to worry about it.

The other day I asked him how his business was doing.  He looked at me a little confused.  “What business?”  He replied.  I said  “Your Sushi Restaurant!”  After a short conversation he explained he didn’t play the game anymore after I deleted it.  “Why did you quit??” I asked him.  Not a big deal really he thought.  It was too much work to try and make up for and he didn’t want to have to start over.  But to me it was.

Why?  Because this was something he loved.  He told me he wanted to do this for real when he was older.  We been watching a cooking show every week for months on our weekly “Mom and Son Date Night” because he loves it so much.  So why quit?  You don’t quit because it is hard.  Or because you become disappointed.  I went on to explain that life is gonna knock him down soooooo many times.  When he gets out in the real world and actually is in the grind of life he can’t just quit!  I don’t know how many times as a Momma… as an Entrepreneur… as a Wife… as a Friend… I have been punched in the stomach.  I mean am I right?!  Haven’t you been knocked down before?  I know this maybe a little dramatic… and it was just an app.  But I like to capture a moment for teaching when I can (also its great to be reminded of these things myself).

What happened next?  We chatted a bit about why I felt it was a big deal and  how it’s important to commit to things and stick with it even when it’s hard… (hello relationships, careers, goals… etc etc) I want my kids to see they need to be disciplined and hardworking and show up even when it sucks!

Guess what he said??

” Nah… I am not doing it! It was too much work!”

**insert me facepalming**

“Ok I said.  Up to you!”  I know I can’t force or push my thoughts on them.  I need to give them space to figure it out.   So we moved on from the topic and forgot about it… so I thought!

The next day, I was in the kitchen making lunch,  when he came over to me,  “Hey Mom.  I re-installed my game. You were right!  I love it and really did miss it.  I am working to build it back up!”

I smiled and hugged him told him I was proud of him.

There was a couple lessoned learned during for the both of us here and I want to share them with you:

1- Don’t Ever Quit.  It’s the easy way out!  It’s the easy answer… not the right answer. If you love it.. the struggle is worth it.

2- Calm and loving is the best way.  Not being forceful or argumentative. Clear, Calm and loving always.

I will leave it with one of my favourite quotes…

“Commitment is staying loyal to what you said you would long after the mood you said it in left.”  ~ George Zalucki

~ xo L